The Pink Sparkle
by ms.margie
Summary: The F4 men have been in a mafia gang for the last three years. Their new mission is to get a special ring called The Pink Sparkle. What they thought was going to be another easy task, ended up being the most challenging one yet, especially when Ga Eul and Jan Di got dragged into the mess. A SoEul fanfic filled with suspense, violence, and love.
1. Business As Usual

**Author's Note:** Hi Readers! I rarely see much BOF adventure stories, so I thought I'll take this challenge and try one. :) The story will start out with the F4 members and will gradually became more of a SoEul fanfic. _***Update***_ I originally had this story as a M rating, but the more chapters I wrote, the more I realize it may fit the T rating status, just as long as I don't go into much details with my dirty/crazy mind. :P Still, please keep the thought that there will be some hint of sexual content and violence. New chapters will be posted every 3-4 days (unless otherwise noted). Let me know what you think and happy reading. ;)

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 **Chapter 1: Business as Usual**

It was dark and quiet at the dock of Hong Kong. Only the sound of the sea that crashed against shoreline and the rocking boats was heard. The full moon and bright stars help lit the landscape, creating some shadows that the broken light poles couldn't do. During the day, the docks was always busy with stinky fishermen and cranky boat captains, but at night, the lively mosquitoes and hungry rats rule the place.

A family of rats went about their business, climbing and digging in a trash bin to find some leftover food the fishermen may had discarded. But the sudden screeching sound in a distance froze them. Their ears perked up and their red eyes didn't blink once when the sound seem to get louder by the seconds. Before they knew it, some flashing bright lights appeared and the blaring sound of an engine halted in front of them. They scattered and ran as fast as they could because they knew that the creatures who controls the engine were selfish beings who can kill or possible eat them.

When the engine stopped, three men quickly got out of a black sedan car. The man from the back seat wore a purple silk dress shirt with a bowtie and a thick, oversized glasses. He was a skinny, old man who was going bald and about half the size of the other two younger men. He clutched a wooden box on his chest and had trouble chasing the other two men who were now ahead of him.

"Eh! You idiots! Help me!" the small, old man cried in a squeaky voice.

The two men in front of him stopped and ran back to help him. They took the wooden box and allowed the old, small man to run ahead them. When another car appeared and stopped behind theirs, they ran faster onto a dock and tossed the wooden box into a small yacht. Then the two men climbed into the yacht.

"Be careful with the box, eh!" the small, old man cried again. "And help me in!" The two men yanked the small, old man in and he wailed when he landed inside the yacht. "Be even more careful with me!" he squeal.

One of the men took the box and ran inside the cockpit while the other one untied a thick rope so the yacht can be released. The old, small man rubbed his nose and glanced over at their car. He saw two men dressed in black suits running towards them. He glared at the man untying the rope and jumped up and down.

"Eh! Faster! Faster!" he cried. "They're coming!"

When the man was done untying the rope, he ran inside the cockpit. The old, small man rejoiced and held both of his arms up in victory. He giggled and his two golden front teeth glitter. "Start the boat, boys!" he cried.

However, the boat was motionless and the two men in black suit was getting closer. Nervous now, the old, small man banged on the cockpit wall. "Hey, idiots! Eh! Start the damn boat!"

But there was no answer. He quickly ran inside the cockpit when suddenly, he felt an excruciating pain on the side of his face. "Ehhh!" he cried in agony as he fell to the floor.

He landed by the foot of his two men who were frozen stiff on the floor. Blood dripped out of his mouth and even after massaging his face, his cheek seem to swell up fast. He glared up and saw a man in a dark suit in the shadow next to the door. "Eh! Who are you?" he wailed.

The man stepped out of the shadow and smirked.

"Eh?! You! You idiot flower boys!" he cried, pointing at the man.

"Hello Mr. Wu. You thought we'll make it that easy for you Chinese men to get away?" Yi Jung asked. Yi Jung took the Mr. Wu by the collar shirt with one hand and yanked Mr. Wu onto his feet.

Mr. Wu was such a small man that the force by Yi Jung jerked his head around when he was up again. He whimper and raised both of his hands in the air. "Please, don't kill me! Ehh!" he cried.

Yi Jung scoffed. "Why would I kill a stupid, annoying rat like you? You're fun to play with." He pushed Mr. Wu towards a wall so hard that it knocked Mr. Wu unconscious. Mr. Wu fell onto the floor with a small thud.

"Damn it, Yi Jung. You should had saved the little bastard for me," Woo Bin said with a huff when he arrived at the entrance.

Yi Jung smirked. "I didn't know he can get knocked out that easily."

Jun Pyo appeared behind Woo Bin and rested his shoulder by the door. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and shook his head. "These guys never learn," Jun Pyo said.

The three men tied Mr. Wu and his two henchmen's wrists and ankles with ropes. They taped Mr. Wu on the big steering wheel and the henchmen on the floor. Yi Jung pulled out a yellow notepad from his blazer and wrote "F4" on it with a red marker. He grin and taped the note on Mr. Wu's forehead. They started the engine on the yacht, took the wooden box, and quickly climbed out as the yacht drove itself towards the open sea.

"Ji Hoo, good work on locating Mr. Wu's yacht with your surveillance computer," Jun Pyo said to an earpiece in his ear. "If Yi Jung wasn't in there in time, we could had lost those monkeys."

The sound of some computer keyboards was heard through the earpiece and if Jun Pyo knew Ji Hoo well enough, he can imagine Ji Hoo smiling now. "Just another day on the job," Ji Hoo answer back through the earpiece.

"I need some beer," Woo Bin said, massaging his shoulder.

"I need a pretty girl," Yi Jung smirk.

Jun Pyo grin at Yi Jung and Woo Bin. "We should stop by the club before heading back home. If I was Master Chu, I would think we deserve that." He touched his earpiece on his ear. "What do you say, Ji Hoo?"

"You guys go ahead. I'll nap on the plane until you guys come back," Ji Hoo replied.

The three men carried the wooden box and locked it in the trunk of their car. They drove to the best nightclub in Hong Kong and partied the night away. Woo Bin got drunk. Jun Pyo gambled and lost more than he gain. And Yi Jung had a threesome with a set of twin in a private room.

When the sun rose and the three men still haven't shown up at the plane, Ji Hoo went out to fetch them. It was typical for the bachelor men to party everywhere they go and Ji Hoo knew their favorite spot. He found Woo Bin crashed on the floor with beer bottles around him and Jun Pyo resting his head on a poker table and snoring away. The nightclub was empty and only a janitor was sweeping the place from the mess people left behind. Ji Hoo woke Woo Bin and Jun Pyo up and asked them if they've seen Yi Jung. They both shook their heads and massaged the back of their heads.

Ji Hoo smiled at his friends. He was used to being the sober one in the group and wasn't surprise of his friends' actions anymore. He went upstairs to the private rooms because he knew he'll find Yi Jung in one of them. After the third room, he found Yi Jung. Yi Jung was still with his twins and the three of them were cuddling and sleeping in an upright position on a sofa.

At least someone had a good night, Ji Hoo thought. He smiled again and poked Yi Jung's arm. "Yi Jung, time to go," he said.

Yi Jung slowly opened his eyes and when he saw the girls in each of his arms, he smirked at Ji Hoo. "Give me a few minutes to say my goodbyes," he said.

The few minutes lasted an hour. It got Jun Pyo frustrated that he banged on Yi Jung's door, shouting at Yi Jung to hurry it up. But the more he forced Yi Jung to be faster, the more he heard the girls in the room scream and moan Yi Jung's name.

"Aish! That selfish, playboy Yi Jung annoys the shit out of me!" Jun Pyo said. "Does he always need two women to have fun?"

"Man, let him have his fun," Woo Bin chuckled. "You did say we deserve it."

Jun Pyo rolled his eyes and walked out of the nightclub. A few minutes after he was gone, the door finally popped open and the twins giggled as they exit the room. They were dressed in matching tight red dresses and their flawless bodies were like supermodels. Yi Jung followed close behind them and spanked one of the girls' bottom. She yelped and turned around to give him one last kiss. Yi Jung smirked when she whispered something in Mandarin in his ear. He wasn't sure what the girl told him, but from the alluring tone of her voice, he knew he did a good job on satisfying her needs. The twins giggled again and walked off, clutching each other's arms and holding their high heels.

Woo Bin whistled and couldn't keep his eyes off the twins' bottoms. When they were gone, he went up to Yi Jung and notice Yi Jung's neck had some colorful shades of red and purple marks. He slapped Yi Jung's back with a grin. "Yo bro, looked like you got yourself some number ten out of ten girls."

Yi Jung wore his blazer and fixed his tie. "I would say they're eight and half."

Woo Bin chuckled at his shallow friend. "Two girls and you still rate both of them at eight and half? Aish. I wonder who this number ten girl will be."

Yi Jung gave a crooked smile. "Come on, let's take Master Chu's precious gift to him."

The men had their breakfast in Master Chu's private jet plane. They also took a shower and tried catching up on their naps. The jet plane was like a second home to them because they often travel to do business trips for Master Chu. It had the latest technology and gadgets, a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. But the best thing about the plane was how fast it could go. Master Chu had custom built the plane to be one of the fastest planes in the world, and he specifically made it for his F4 men.

It was a short flight and they landed in South Korea by noon. They took their individual luxury sport cars that was waiting for them in a big garage at the airport and drove to Master Chu's place in Seoul. Master Chu lived in a gated estate with his own security guards. No one rarely were allowed to enter the place freely except invited guests or the F4 men.

The men cruised their cars through the open gate and parked in front of a big house. One of Master Chu's servants quickly came out and greeted the men with a sharp bow. Then he took the wooden box and followed the men inside. They were about to head to Master Chu's office, but found Master Chu sitting in the dining room and having lunch with his family. The family of three sat at the corner of a long table which was filled with a variety of dishes that can feed everyone in the estate.

When Master Chu saw the F4 men enter the dining room, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and took a quick drink of wine from a wine glass. "Ahh. My boys are finally back," he said. He had a rough, loud voice that even his whispers can be heard at the other end of a room. "Join us for lunch," he holler.

"No, we're fine," Jun Pyo answer.

Master Chu grin when he notice the wooden box his servant was carrying. "Well then, let me finish up this plate first, then we can go on our way for business." Master Chu said. He glanced over at a tall, buffy body guard who was standing a few feet away from him. "Ryuu, please take the box to my office."

Ryuu, who was half Korean and half Japanese, bowed at Master Chu and quickly did what he was told. He took the box from the servant and left the dining room. The F4 men stood and watch as Master Chu munched on his remaining food. There was a few stray of white hair growing on the top of Master Chu's hair and every time he took a bite of his food, the wrinkles around his eyes appeared. He was only in his late forties, yet his stressful youth aged him to look ten years older than he should be.

His chubby daughter sat to his right and ate as fast as him. She had pigtails and sat on a booster chair so she can reach her food. She ate with a short chop stick in one hand while her other hand held onto a thick, cooked pork belly. Her mother sat across from her and didn't eat as fast as her family. She was more picky on her food. She was eighteen years younger than her husband and unlike him and their daughter, she was petite and thin that her round pregnant stomach stood out.

Master Chu had clean out his plate spotless and stood up with the help of a cane. He was a giant next to his wife and his huge belly looked as if he should be giving birth to a set of triplets any day now. It hung over his wide pants with suspenders and the buttons on his gray dress shirt were so tight, it looked like it was about to pop off. He pulled off his bib and wiped his mouth and double chin. "Okay boys, let's get to work," he holler.

Master Chu walked with a small limp and had his cane in his right hand. He huff at every other step and led the men into his spacious office. He went to sit by his presidential desk as the men sat across from him. Ryuu had placed the wooden box on the floor next to the desk and when Master Chu glanced at him, he began taking the nails off the box with a hammer.

"The first night at the museum, and it's already been taken away," Master Chu said after folding his arm over his belly. "Was it easy to get?"

"It would had been if the stupid monkey Mr. Wu didn't interrupted us," Jun Pyo said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh! Mr. Wu?" Master Chu chuckled. "That prick will always think he can get things first. We go a long way back, him and I. When I was still young and buff like you boys, I did most of these smuggling and hard work. If it wasn't for the many injuries I sustain, I would still be doing it. How is Mr. Wu, anyways?"

"He's with his henchmen, lost in the middle of the China Sea," Yi Jung replied.

Master Chu grin and nodded. "I knew hiring you smart and clever boys right out of Shinhwa high school was a brilliant idea. My guards will never be able to do half of the work you boys are doing now. With three years of experiences under your belt working for me, things should only get easier."

"Master Chu, as long as we get our share the money, we're happy," Woo Bin said.

Master Chu smirk. "As long as you boys keep doing your job, our promise will never be broken."

The office door open and an elderly man with white hair and a black apron came in. The F4 men greeted him with a bow and the elderly man bow in return. He went over to Master Chu and when he notice the wooden box, he smiled and took out his glasses to wear.

"Mr. Kim, you're right in time," Master Chu said.

The final nail popped out and Ryuu opened the wooden box. Master Chu got up with his cane and limped towards the box. The box was filled with tons of hay and he ordered Ryuu to bring him and Mr. Kim some latex gloves. After they wore their gloves, Master Chu digged inside the hay and gently pulled out an antique porcelain vase. He smiled and held it up for everyone to see. The seventy-seven centimeter white vase was covered in some colorful artwork. He handed it to Mr. Kim and Mr. Kim examined it.

"This vase is over two thousands years old and worth more than sixteen million wons," Mr. Kim said.

The F4 men glared at each other, a bit surprised they were carrying such an expensive gem.

Mr. Kim continued examining the vase, slowly turning it to the side and viewing the bottom. "I don't think there's another replica of this vase in this world. This beautiful vase is the real deal," he added. He carefully placed the vase back in the box.

"We're selling this piece to a man from India for twice the price," Master Chu said. "He's coming here tonight to pick up the vase, then I should be able to give each of you a fat check."

Master Chu and the F4 men always split the profit. The men smiled at each other, knowing they just had another good pay day. Woo Bin got up from his seat, followed by Jun Pyo and Yi Jung.

"We'll pick up the check tomorrow morning," Jun Pyo said. "We should get going now."

Spending time at Master Chu's place was limited, as the men were only there for business and nothing more. Partying, being lazy, or working out at the gym is what they always preferred to do when they're not working.

"Boys, hold on," Master Chu said with his hand up. "I have a new job for you guys."

"You can tell us tomorrow," Woo Bin replied. "I haven't been to the gym for the last few days."

"And I need to go catch up on some of my drama shows," Jun Pyo said.

Yi Jung smirk. "I have girls waiting for me at the club."

Ji Hoo only smiled and folded his arms.

"Trust me, boys. This new job is like none other that you guys have ever had before. It may be the most challenging, riskiest, and biggest profit we have yet," Master Chu said.

Challenge? Risky? More money? The men smiled and sat down in their seats again. Master Chu grin and also sat in his chair. He pulled out a paper size photo from his draw and held it up for the men to see. Ji Hoo touched his chin. Woo Bin sat up straight. Jun Pyo wince his eyes. And Yi Jung smirked. It was a photo of a pink diamond ring.

"Boys, this special ring is called, The Pink Sparkle," Master Chu said.


	2. The Pink Diamond Ring

**Chapter 2: The Pink Diamond Ring**

"What's so special about this diamond ring?" Yi Jung asked. "It looks just like any other ring."

Mr. Kim cleared his throat and took off his glasses. "What's special about this three thousand years old ring is that it once belonged to the son of an ancient Mayan God. The son's named was In Katech. When In Katech was sixteen years old, he fell in love with one of his servant and wanted to marry her. But his appa wouldn't allow it because as the son of a God, In Katech could only marry a rich and pretty woman.

One night, In Katech's appa heard rumors that In Katech and his lover were going to run away together, so he ordered his men to kill the lover. His men storm into the lover's home in the middle of the night and slit her throat even after she begged them that the rumors were false.

Her death left In Katech into a miserable depression. Without his lover, he didn't see the point of living. A week from the anniversary of his lover's death, he traveled to a small village deep in the jungle and paid a magical jeweler to make him a ring. Not just any kind of ring, but an unearthly ring for when he dies, he plans to take it to his lover in his afterlife. The jeweler can sense how much In Katech loved this woman, so he created the most beautiful, one of a kind, pink diamond ring.

In the Mayan culture, they believe in spiritual beings and human sacrifices to their Gods. It was because of this, In Katech barricaded himself with his ring inside a Mayan pyramid and committed suicide by drinking poison. He sacrificed his holy life in hopes that he will finally get to be with his lover again and offer her the diamond ring. A ring which will make their soul be together and forever."

The story was so intense yet beautiful that it left the F4 men speechless. They gazed around the room in silence, each having their own thoughts on the story. After a few minutes, Jun Pyo finally broke the silence. "Why is the ring called 'The Pink Sparkle'?"

"In the Mayans' myth, it was believed that pink was the favorite color of In Katech's lover, and In Katech fell in love with his lover because of the sparkle in her eyes," Mr. Kim replied.

"So where's the ring now?" Woo Bin asked. "Still in that pyramid and you want us to go get it?"

Master Chu folded his arm on his desk. "No. We're in luck because that's already been done for us," Master Chu answer. "An American archaeologist named Dr. James Lawlor found the ring a few weeks ago after hunting it down for years. No one knew of his discovery until he recently announced it at his museum. This ring is the hottest commodity in the market right now and if we can be the first ones to get our hands on it, we can sale it for a fortune and become the wealthiest Korean men in the world."

"How do you intend that we snatch this ring?" Ji Hoo brought up the question. "American museums are known to have the top notch securities."

"We don't have to go to their museums," Master Chu said, leaning back in his chair. "They're bringing The Pink Sparkle right to us."

The F4 men glared at each other in confusion and curiosity. "What do you mean?" Yi Jung asked.

"Dr. Lawlor will be doing a seminar here in Seoul tomorrow night at the Chung Ang University, and he will be bringing the ring with him. Boys, The Pink Sparkle will be in our own backyard."

The F4 grin at the thought of knowing they now have the advantage. Woo Bin and Yi Jung gave each other a fist pump while Ji Hoo's eyes focused on the floor, thinking of an idea, and Jun Pyo held up a fist with a nod. The men started mumbling on how easy the task will be that they didn't notice Mr. Kim had handed a ring to Master Chu from his pants pocket. Master Chu cleared his throat and the men quickly silence themselves again, eager to hear what other news there may be. Master Chu held up a ring towards the men and their eyes grew wide in awe.

"Yah! That's The Pink Sparkle!" Jun Pyo said, pointing at the ring.

Master Chu smiled. "I'm glad you think it's the real ring, Jun Pyo. Because it's actually a replica ring that Mr. Kim made. This fake ring will be a big part of your next mission." He glanced at the ring for a second, then smiled. "There's one big differences between The Pink Sparkle and this fake ring. The Pink Sparkle actually sparkles." He tossed the ring to Jun Pyo and Jun Pyo caught it in the air.

Jun Pyo examined the ring. It was a beautiful gold ring with a round, fake diamond on it, but it didn't have the sparkling effect Master Chu said it should. "Wow. I didn't realize the rock will be this huge," Jun Pyo said.

Woo Bin took the ring from Jun Pyo's hand and inspected it. He gave a slight nod. "Yup. It's a replica of The Pink Sparkle. It weights too light to be a real diamond." He handed the ring to Yi Jung and Yi Jung quietly inspected it as well.

"Damn, Mr. Kim. You did an amazing job on it. I bet Dr. Lawlor may even be fooled and believe this ring is real," Woo Bin added.

"The Pink Sparkle is a thirty-three carat diamond ring," Mr. Kim replied. "The one you're inspecting right now is only made out of glass. Still, it was the hardest jewelry I had ever copied."

Yi Jung took the photo of the ring Master Chu had first shown them and compared the photo with the fake ring. He smirk. "Every detail looks exactly alike," he said.

He handed the ring to Ji Hoo and after a quick inspection, Ji Hoo smiled and handed it back to Master Chu. Master Chu smiled again when the fake ring was in his hand.

"Boys, we need to get nitty gritty for a genius plan," Master Chu said. "I only want us to carry The Pink Sparkle until we find the best buyer. What are your ideas on how we should confiscate this precious gem?"

The F4 men smiled and leaned in closer on Master Chu's desk. Like every new task they receive from Master Chu, they always start off by brainstorming on various strategies. Most tasks were simple like hacking into computers or cheating at the casinos. Some were more hands on such as smuggling items or drugs. The men often had to carry weapons on the more dangerous jobs. They enjoyed what they do because it was something different and challenging. If they would had followed their parents advice and gone to college, it would had been too boring for them.

When they first started working for Master Chu, they would often argue on who should do what for each task. But as the years went by and the more jobs they accomplished, they each grew to know their individual roles. It took them only an hour to think of a good scheme to get The Pink Sparkle and soon, Mr. Khan, the buyer of the porcelain vase, arrived with a briefcase filled with wons. The F4 men excused themselves after receiving their share of money and left Master Chu's estate to celebrate their money in their own ways.

The following even at Chung Ang University, preparation was under way for Dr. Lawlor's seminar. For the last week, hundreds of posters were hung throughout the campus walls and dorms, advertising the free and public event. It made many students and faculty members excited and curious on why Dr. Lawlor chose their university as his first international location to show off The Pink Sparkle.

But for two students, Chu Ga Eul and Geum Jan Di, they weren't there to see The Pink Sparkle, they were there to see Dr. Lawlor. "Aigoo. I can't wait to see him," Ga Eul said. "I bet he looks so much better in person than in the posters. He's like a handsome Leonardo DiCaprio."

"I know!" Jan Di agreed with her best friend. "His blue and green eyes are to die for!"

"'I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go'," Ga Eul imitated the character, Rose Dawson, from the popular Hollywood film, Titanic. It was a film which American actor Leonardo DiCaprio was in. Ga Eul and Jan Di had watched the film each night since they saw the posters of Dr. Lawlor. Dr. Lawlor reminded them of Leonardo DiCaprio.

"Yah, just hang on tight to me and I'll make sure we get the best seat in the house to gaze at him!" Jan Di said. She posed her right bicep up and made an angry face.

Ga Eul laughed with a hand over her mouth. "I can always count on you, Jan Di."

The Spring semester had ended a day ago, but many students decided to not go home because they wanted to do more studying on campus and prepare themselves for summer classes. Unlike their classmates, Ga Eul and Jan Di decided to skip summer class this year. Instead, the childhood friends who grew up together in a small folk town, had plans to visit their neighboring country of Japan. It had always been one of their dreams to visit the country because when they were little, reading manga books and watching Japanese anime were the only things they did in their free time.

The girls had found a part time job at a porridge cafe when they moved to Seoul. They began saving their money for their Japan trip and at last after three years, they finally reached their budget goal and will be leaving to Japan in another two days. It will be the girls first time out of their country and they were filled in anticipation.

But for now, their focus was on tonight's event. The girls were prepared as if they were going to a KPop concert. They wore similar outfits; a black mini-skirt and a bright pink shirt with the words, "Dr. Lawlor's Sparkle Girls!" written in English. They were disappointed to be the twelfth and thirteenth person in line and had been waiting by the front entrance for over two hours. During the wait, they decided to kill time by playing the Go Stop game cards while snacking on some fish cakes.

"Pink Sparkle! Pink Sparkle! I've got The Pink Sparkle for sale!" a solicitor yell out as he walked past them in line.

Ga Eul and Jan Di glanced at each other from their Go Stop game. "Yah, isn't The Pink Sparkle the ring on the poster with Dr. Lawlor?" Jan Di asked.

"I think it is," Ga Eul answer with a short nod.

The girls enjoy wearing jewelries, yet they didn't know much about the different types of gems in the world. Ga Eul was curious to see what this Pink Sparkle ring looked like, so she waved down the solicitor to get his attention. The solicitor notice Ga Eul and approached the girls.

"Hello, ladies," the solicitor said with a small bow. "Are you interested in purchasing The Pink Sparkle?"

"Can we see what it looks first?" Ga Eul asked.

"Sure," he replied. He pulled out a pink diamond ring from a black plastic bag and handed it to Ga Eul.

Ga Eul gasp when the ring was in her hand. "Wow, it looks beautiful!" The pink diamond stood out to her because pink was her favorite color. She studied the ring for awhile. "Is it a real diamond ring?"

The solicitor chuckled. "No, it's a replica of The Pink Sparkle ring that Dr. Lawlor will be talking about in his seminar."

"We should get one," Jan Di suggested. "It'll match our shirts."

Ga Eul smiled in agreement. "How much are the rings?" she asked.

"Twenty thousand wons," the solicitor replied.

It was the same price as the custom shirts they were wearing. The girls happily pulled out their wallets from their purses and bought the rings. Ga Eul tried the ring she was already holding, but it was too loose on her ring finger.

"Ajusshi, this one is too big for me. May I try a different ring?" Ga Eul asked.

"I only have two sizes," the solicitor replied. He traded her ring with a smaller ring.

Ga Eul tested the new ring. It was still a bit loose, but a better fit than the previous one. Jan Di and her thanked the solicitor and the solicitor thanked them even more for purchasing his cheap toy. He left and continued yelling, "Pink Sparkle! Get yourself The Pink Sparkle!"

The girls wore their rings and held it high in the air. They praised how the rock made them look much fancier and glamorous, and they even took a few selfies on their cell phones with the rings.

Finally, the doors for the auditorium open and everyone in line got in position. When the girls were inside, they raced to the center stage. Just as Jan Di had promised, she pulled Ga Eul's hand and shoved a few people out of the way in the aisle. They ran until they reached the front row.

"Best seats in the house!" Jan Di cheer and did a little danced before they sat.

It didn't take long and before they knew it, every seat was filled in the auditorium. The girls were surprised to see many unfamiliar faces. They thought an event like this would only attract students and professors, yet the crowd had a handful of elderly couples and people of different ethnicity. Two Russian men dressed in gray suits with a military haircut came and sat behind them. Ga Eul happen to be glancing behind her because she was curious to see how packed the building was getting, when she notice how one of the Russian men had a deep scar on his right cheek. He glared back at her with scary look and it freaked her out. She didn't dare to look behind her after that and couldn't believe Dr. Lawlor had brought out some of the creepiest people.

It took half an hour and the long awaited event finally started. A young woman dressed as a professor came on stage and introduced herself as the translator for Dr. Lawlor. She went on to discuss how special the seminar was and that it was a sold out event. The longer the woman talked, the more it got on Ga Eul's nerves. Ga Eul was there to see Dr. Lawlor, not some woman. She fidgeted in her seat impatiently and checked her watch a few times.

At last, the woman introduced Dr. Lawlor on stage and everyone applauded. Ga Eul and Jan Di almost got out of their seats when he stood a few feet from them on stage. Their eyes were glued onto his flawless face and they squirm in their seats. Dr. Lawlor was a tall man with his blondish-brown hair comb back. He wore a lavish white suit and a black bowtie.

"Aigoo! He looks so much better than Leonardo Dicaprio," Ga Eul told Jan Di. Jan Di could only nod because she was speechless to see such a handsome man in front of her. The girls clung their arms together and quietly whimper in excitement.

Dr. Lawlor bowed when the applause was over then talked about himself. "I am an alumni from Harvard University and have been an archaeologist for fifteen years now. I choose Seoul, South Korea as my first destination to share The Pink Sparkle because as silly as this may sound, I'm a big fan of KPop and video games."

After a quick translation from the translator, the crowd laughed and Dr. Lawlor chuckled in embarrassment. Ga Eul and Jan Di didn't need the translation since they knew English quite well. They cheered before most of the audiences caught on.

"As some of you may already know, I have recently discovered a special diamond ring called The Pink Sparkle," Dr. Lawlor continued. "I've been searching for this ring for the last four years in Central America and I am proud to tell you fine folks tonight that The Pink Sparkle is in the house."

He nodded towards someone off stage and two men wheel in a cart with a black cloth over it. The audiences were on the edge of their seats and mumbled in anticipation. When the cart reached Dr. Lawlor, he faced the audience again. "I present to you, The Pink Sparkle!" he holler.

He pulled the black cloth off the cart like a magician. Inside a glass container on the cart was a pink diamond ring. It sparkle and shine brightly at every corner of the room. The sound of awes and wows erupted throughout the room and the audiences applauded wildly. Ga Eul and Jan Di got on their feet and their screams drowned most of the echoing cheers.

When the cheering and chatting died down, Dr. Lawlor explained the history of The Pink Sparkle and told the tale of In Katech and the lover. "I found The Pink Sparkle deep in a pyramid in the country of Honduras. It was still in what is left of In Katech's hand. This Pink Sparkle means a lot to me because like In Katech, I hope to someday be with my soulmate as well."

Ga Eul and Jan Di glanced at each other, wondering who this lucky soulmate Dr. Lawlor may speak of.

"There was something else I discovered during this expedition," Dr. Lawlor added. "On the walls of where The Pink Sparkle was found were hundreds of glyptic symbols and inscription. From reading them, it was told that once you wear the The Pink Sparkle on your finger, you can never take it off again unless you have In Katch's love potion."

The audience were surprised and mumbled again. "I'm guessing In Katech wanted to make sure only his lover can be the only person to wear the ring," Dr. Lawlor chuckled. "But don't fret, my friends. The love potion was in In Katech's other hand and now a part of my property."

The audience cheered and applauded, and Ga Eul and Jan Di stood up again and screamed. Everyone was thrilled at Dr. Lawlor's smart wits. Not only was he able to locate The Pink Sparkle, but also the love potion. Dr. Lawlor threw the black cloth over the glass container again and nodded at the two men to wheel the cart away. Once the cart was gone, Dr. Lawlor continued his speech and talked about the many treasures he had also found in his career.

In the last row of the auditorium sat Jun Pyo. Jun Pyo touched an earpiece in his ear and grin. "Guys, The Pink Sparkle is headed to the back," he said to his friends. "Let's not make this job any harder than it needs to be."

Yi Jung and Woo Bin were dressed in some janitor's outfits and lazily mopped the floor of a hallway in the backstage of the auditorium. When they heard Jun Pyo's remark through their earpieces, they smirked at each other.

"Don't worry, man. We got it," Woo Bin replied to Jun Pyo. "Just another day in paradise." He threw his mop on a huge cart filled with cleaning supplies in the middle of the hall.

"Ji Hoo, let me know when," Yi Jung said in his earpiece.

"Copy that," Ji Hoo answer. Ji Hoo was surrounded with computers and monitors of surveillance videos. He sat in an unmarked black van a few blocks away from the auditorium. He quickly scanned the monitors and saw the two men wheeling the cart with the The Pink Sparkle. "They're heading off stage and towards Dr. Lawlor's room. Go now, Yi Jung," he said.

Yi Jung and Woo Bin checked their surrounding to make sure no one was in sight. After a few people walked past in a distance and they were alone again, they placed a yellow cleaning sign by the entrance of the women's restroom, then entered the restroom, closing the door behind them.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** "In Katech" is one way of saying "I love you" in the Mayan language. Although In Katech's story is a fictitious story I made up, there are millions of Mayan people still living in Central America who believes in spiritual Gods.


	3. The Mission

**Chapter 2: The Pink Diamond Ring**

"What's so special about this diamond ring?" Yi Jung asked. "It looks just like any other ring."

Mr. Kim cleared his throat and took off his glasses. "What's special about this three thousand years old ring is that it once belonged to the son of an ancient Mayan God. The son's named was In Katech. When In Katech was sixteen years old, he fell in love with one of his servant and wanted to marry her. But his appa wouldn't allow it because as the son of a God, In Katech could only marry a rich and pretty woman.

One night, In Katech's appa heard rumors that In Katech and his lover were going to run away together, so he ordered his men to kill the lover. His men storm into the lover's home in the middle of the night and slit her throat even after she begged them that the rumors were false.

Her death left In Katech into a miserable depression. Without his lover, he didn't see the point of living. A week from the anniversary of his lover's death, he traveled to a small village deep in the jungle and paid a magical jeweler to make him a ring. Not just any kind of ring, but an unearthly ring for when he dies, he plans to take it to his lover in his afterlife. The jeweler can sense how much In Katech loved this woman, so he created the most beautiful, one of a kind, pink diamond ring.

In the Mayan culture, they believe in spiritual beings and human sacrifices to their Gods. It was because of this, In Katech barricaded himself with his ring inside a Mayan pyramid and committed suicide by drinking poison. He sacrificed his holy life in hopes that he will finally get to be with his lover again and offer her the diamond ring. A ring which will make their soul be together and forever."

The story was so intense yet beautiful that it left the F4 men speechless. They gazed around the room in silence, each having their own thoughts on the story. After a few minutes, Jun Pyo finally broke the silence. "Why is the ring called 'The Pink Sparkle'?"

"In the Mayans' myth, it was believed that pink was the favorite color of In Katech's lover, and In Katech fell in love with his lover because of the sparkle in her eyes," Mr. Kim replied.

"So where's the ring now?" Woo Bin asked. "Still in that pyramid and you want us to go get it?"

Master Chu folded his arm on his desk. "No. We're in luck because that's already been done for us," Master Chu answer. "An American archaeologist named Dr. James Lawlor found the ring a few weeks ago after hunting it down for years. No one knew of his discovery until he recently announced it at his museum. This ring is the hottest commodity in the market right now and if we can be the first ones to get our hands on it, we can sale it for a fortune and become the wealthiest Korean men in the world."

"How do you intend that we snatch this ring?" Ji Hoo brought up the question. "American museums are known to have the top notch securities."

"We don't have to go to their museums," Master Chu said, leaning back in his chair. "They're bringing The Pink Sparkle right to us."

The F4 men glared at each other in confusion and curiosity. "What do you mean?" Yi Jung asked.

"Dr. Lawlor will be doing a seminar here in Seoul tomorrow night at the Chung Ang University, and he will be bringing the ring with him. Boys, The Pink Sparkle will be in our own backyard."

The F4 grin at the thought of knowing they now have the advantage. Woo Bin and Yi Jung gave each other a fist pump while Ji Hoo's eyes focused on the floor, thinking of an idea, and Jun Pyo held up a fist with a nod. The men started mumbling on how easy the task will be that they didn't notice Mr. Kim had handed a ring to Master Chu from his pants pocket. Master Chu cleared his throat and the men quickly silence themselves again, eager to hear what other news there may be. Master Chu held up a ring towards the men and their eyes grew wide in awe.

"Yah! That's The Pink Sparkle!" Jun Pyo said, pointing at the ring.

Master Chu smiled. "I'm glad you think it's the real ring, Jun Pyo. Because it's actually a replica ring that Mr. Kim made. This fake ring will be a big part of your next mission." He glanced at the ring for a second, then smiled. "There's one big differences between The Pink Sparkle and this fake ring. The Pink Sparkle actually sparkles." He tossed the ring to Jun Pyo and Jun Pyo caught it in the air.

Jun Pyo examined the ring. It was a beautiful gold ring with a round, fake diamond on it, but it didn't have the sparkling effect Master Chu said it should. "Wow. I didn't realize the rock will be this huge," Jun Pyo said.

Woo Bin took the ring from Jun Pyo's hand and inspected it. He gave a slight nod. "Yup. It's a replica of The Pink Sparkle. It weights too light to be a real diamond." He handed the ring to Yi Jung and Yi Jung quietly inspected it as well.

"Damn, Mr. Kim. You did an amazing job on it. I bet Dr. Lawlor may even be fooled and believe this ring is real," Woo Bin added.

"The Pink Sparkle is a thirty-three carat diamond ring," Mr. Kim replied. "The one you're inspecting right now is only made out of glass. Still, it was the hardest jewelry I had ever copied."

Yi Jung took the photo of the ring Master Chu had first shown them and compared the photo with the fake ring. He smirk. "Every detail looks exactly alike," he said.

He handed the ring to Ji Hoo and after a quick inspection, Ji Hoo smiled and handed it back to Master Chu. Master Chu smiled again when the fake ring was in his hand.

"Boys, we need to get nitty gritty for a genius plan," Master Chu said. "I only want us to carry The Pink Sparkle until we find the best buyer. What are your ideas on how we should confiscate this precious gem?"

The F4 men smiled and leaned in closer on Master Chu's desk. Like every new task they receive from Master Chu, they always start off by brainstorming on various strategies. Most tasks were simple like hacking into computers or cheating at the casinos. Some were more hands on such as smuggling items or drugs. The men often had to carry weapons on the more dangerous jobs. They enjoyed what they do because it was something different and challenging. If they would had followed their parents advice and gone to college, it would had been too boring for them.

When they first started working for Master Chu, they would often argue on who should do what for each task. But as the years went by and the more jobs they accomplished, they each grew to know their individual roles. It took them only an hour to think of a good scheme to get The Pink Sparkle and soon, Mr. Khan, the buyer of the porcelain vase, arrived with a briefcase filled with wons. The F4 men excused themselves after receiving their share of money and left Master Chu's estate to celebrate their money in their own ways.

The following even at Chung Ang University, preparation was under way for Dr. Lawlor's seminar. For the last week, hundreds of posters were hung throughout the campus walls and dorms, advertising the free and public event. It made many students and faculty members excited and curious on why Dr. Lawlor chose their university as his first international location to show off The Pink Sparkle.

But for two students, Chu Ga Eul and Geum Jan Di, they weren't there to see The Pink Sparkle, they were there to see Dr. Lawlor. "Aigoo. I can't wait to see him," Ga Eul said. "I bet he looks so much better in person than in the posters. He's like a handsome Leonardo DiCaprio."

"I know!" Jan Di agreed with her best friend. "His blue and green eyes are to die for!"

"'I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go'," Ga Eul imitated the character, Rose Dawson, from the popular Hollywood film, Titanic. It was a film which American actor Leonardo DiCaprio was in. Ga Eul and Jan Di had watched the film each night since they saw the posters of Dr. Lawlor. Dr. Lawlor reminded them of Leonardo DiCaprio.

"Yah, just hang on tight to me and I'll make sure we get the best seat in the house to gaze at him!" Jan Di said. She posed her right bicep up and made an angry face.

Ga Eul laughed with a hand over her mouth. "I can always count on you, Jan Di."

The Spring semester had ended a day ago, but many students decided to not go home because they wanted to do more studying on campus and prepare themselves for summer classes. Unlike their classmates, Ga Eul and Jan Di decided to skip summer class this year. Instead, the childhood friends who grew up together in a small folk town, had plans to visit their neighboring country of Japan. It had always been one of their dreams to visit the country because when they were little, reading manga books and watching Japanese anime were the only things they did in their free time.

The girls had found a part time job at a porridge cafe when they moved to Seoul. They began saving their money for their Japan trip and at last after three years, they finally reached their budget goal and will be leaving to Japan in another two days. It will be the girls first time out of their country and they were filled in anticipation.

But for now, their focus was on tonight's event. The girls were prepared as if they were going to a KPop concert. They wore similar outfits; a black mini-skirt and a bright pink shirt with the words, "Dr. Lawlor's Sparkle Girls!" written in English. They were disappointed to be the twelfth and thirteenth person in line and had been waiting by the front entrance for over two hours. During the wait, they decided to kill time by playing the Go Stop game cards while snacking on some fish cakes.

"Pink Sparkle! Pink Sparkle! I've got The Pink Sparkle for sale!" a solicitor yell out as he walked past them in line.

Ga Eul and Jan Di glanced at each other from their Go Stop game. "Yah, isn't The Pink Sparkle the ring on the poster with Dr. Lawlor?" Jan Di asked.

"I think it is," Ga Eul answer with a short nod.

The girls enjoy wearing jewelries, yet they didn't know much about the different types of gems in the world. Ga Eul was curious to see what this Pink Sparkle ring looked like, so she waved down the solicitor to get his attention. The solicitor notice Ga Eul and approached the girls.

"Hello, ladies," the solicitor said with a small bow. "Are you interested in purchasing The Pink Sparkle?"

"Can we see what it looks first?" Ga Eul asked.

"Sure," he replied. He pulled out a pink diamond ring from a black plastic bag and handed it to Ga Eul.

Ga Eul gasp when the ring was in her hand. "Wow, it looks beautiful!" The pink diamond stood out to her because pink was her favorite color. She studied the ring for awhile. "Is it a real diamond ring?"

The solicitor chuckled. "No, it's a replica of The Pink Sparkle ring that Dr. Lawlor will be talking about in his seminar."

"We should get one," Jan Di suggested. "It'll match our shirts."

Ga Eul smiled in agreement. "How much are the rings?" she asked.

"Twenty thousand wons," the solicitor replied.

It was the same price as the custom shirts they were wearing. The girls happily pulled out their wallets from their purses and bought the rings. Ga Eul tried the ring she was already holding, but it was too loose on her ring finger.

"Ajusshi, this one is too big for me. May I try a different ring?" Ga Eul asked.

"I only have two sizes," the solicitor replied. He traded her ring with a smaller ring.

Ga Eul tested the new ring. It was still a bit loose, but a better fit than the previous one. Jan Di and her thanked the solicitor and the solicitor thanked them even more for purchasing his cheap toy. He left and continued yelling, "Pink Sparkle! Get yourself The Pink Sparkle!"

The girls wore their rings and held it high in the air. They praised how the rock made them look much fancier and glamorous, and they even took a few selfies on their cell phones with the rings.

Finally, the doors for the auditorium open and everyone in line got in position. When the girls were inside, they raced to the center stage. Just as Jan Di had promised, she pulled Ga Eul's hand and shoved a few people out of the way in the aisle. They ran until they reached the front row.

"Best seats in the house!" Jan Di cheer and did a little danced before they sat.

It didn't take long and before they knew it, every seat was filled in the auditorium. The girls were surprised to see many unfamiliar faces. They thought an event like this would only attract students and professors, yet the crowd had a handful of elderly couples and people of different ethnicity. Two Russian men dressed in gray suits with a military haircut came and sat behind them. Ga Eul happen to be glancing behind her because she was curious to see how packed the building was getting, when she notice how one of the Russian men had a deep scar on his right cheek. He glared back at her with scary look and it freaked her out. She didn't dare to look behind her after that and couldn't believe Dr. Lawlor had brought out some of the creepiest people.

It took half an hour and the long awaited event finally started. A young woman dressed as a professor came on stage and introduced herself as the translator for Dr. Lawlor. She went on to discuss how special the seminar was and that it was a sold out event. The longer the woman talked, the more it got on Ga Eul's nerves. Ga Eul was there to see Dr. Lawlor, not some woman. She fidgeted in her seat impatiently and checked her watch a few times.

At last, the woman introduced Dr. Lawlor on stage and everyone applauded. Ga Eul and Jan Di almost got out of their seats when he stood a few feet from them on stage. Their eyes were glued onto his flawless face and they squirm in their seats. Dr. Lawlor was a tall man with his blondish-brown hair comb back. He wore a lavish white suit and a black bowtie.

"Aigoo! He looks so much better than Leonardo Dicaprio," Ga Eul told Jan Di. Jan Di could only nod because she was speechless to see such a handsome man in front of her. The girls clung their arms together and quietly whimper in excitement.

Dr. Lawlor bowed when the applause was over then talked about himself. "I am an alumni from Harvard University and have been an archaeologist for fifteen years now. I choose Seoul, South Korea as my first destination to share The Pink Sparkle because as silly as this may sound, I'm a big fan of KPop and video games."

After a quick translation from the translator, the crowd laughed and Dr. Lawlor chuckled in embarrassment. Ga Eul and Jan Di didn't need the translation since they knew English quite well. They cheered before most of the audiences caught on.

"As some of you may already know, I have recently discovered a special diamond ring called The Pink Sparkle," Dr. Lawlor continued. "I've been searching for this ring for the last four years in Central America and I am proud to tell you fine folks tonight that The Pink Sparkle is in the house."

He nodded towards someone off stage and two men wheel in a cart with a black cloth over it. The audiences were on the edge of their seats and mumbled in anticipation. When the cart reached Dr. Lawlor, he faced the audience again. "I present to you, The Pink Sparkle!" he holler.

He pulled the black cloth off the cart like a magician. Inside a glass container on the cart was a pink diamond ring. It sparkle and shine brightly at every corner of the room. The sound of awes and wows erupted throughout the room and the audiences applauded wildly. Ga Eul and Jan Di got on their feet and their screams drowned most of the echoing cheers.

When the cheering and chatting died down, Dr. Lawlor explained the history of The Pink Sparkle and told the tale of In Katech and the lover. "I found The Pink Sparkle deep in a pyramid in the country of Honduras. It was still in what is left of In Katech's hand. This Pink Sparkle means a lot to me because like In Katech, I hope to someday be with my soulmate as well."

Ga Eul and Jan Di glanced at each other, wondering who this lucky soulmate Dr. Lawlor may speak of.

"There was something else I discovered during this expedition," Dr. Lawlor added. "On the walls of where The Pink Sparkle was found were hundreds of glyptic symbols and inscription. From reading them, it was told that once you wear the The Pink Sparkle on your finger, you can never take it off again unless you have In Katch's love potion."

The audience were surprised and mumbled again. "I'm guessing In Katech wanted to make sure only his lover can be the only person to wear the ring," Dr. Lawlor chuckled. "But don't fret, my friends. The love potion was in In Katech's other hand and now a part of my property."

The audience cheered and applauded, and Ga Eul and Jan Di stood up again and screamed. Everyone was thrilled at Dr. Lawlor's smart wits. Not only was he able to locate The Pink Sparkle, but also the love potion. Dr. Lawlor threw the black cloth over the glass container again and nodded at the two men to wheel the cart away. Once the cart was gone, Dr. Lawlor continued his speech and talked about the many treasures he had also found in his career.

In the last row of the auditorium sat Jun Pyo. Jun Pyo touched an earpiece in his ear and grin. "Guys, The Pink Sparkle is headed to the back," he said to his friends. "Let's not make this job any harder than it needs to be."

Yi Jung and Woo Bin were dressed in some janitor's outfits and lazily mopped the floor of a hallway in the backstage of the auditorium. When they heard Jun Pyo's remark through their earpieces, they smirked at each other.

"Don't worry, man. We got it," Woo Bin replied to Jun Pyo. "Just another day in paradise." He threw his mop on a huge cart filled with cleaning supplies in the middle of the hall.

"Ji Hoo, let me know when," Yi Jung said in his earpiece.

"Copy that," Ji Hoo answer. Ji Hoo was surrounded with computers and monitors of surveillance videos. He sat in an unmarked black van a few blocks away from the auditorium. He quickly scanned the monitors and saw the two men wheeling the cart with the The Pink Sparkle. "They're heading off stage and towards Dr. Lawlor's room. Go now, Yi Jung," he said.

Yi Jung and Woo Bin checked their surrounding to make sure no one was in sight. After a few people walked past in a distance and they were alone again, they placed a yellow cleaning sign by the entrance of the women's restroom, then entered the restroom, closing the door behind them.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** "In Katech" is one way of saying "I love you" in the Mayan language. Although In Katech's story is a fictitious story I made up, there are millions of Mayan people still living in Central America who believes in spiritual Gods.


	4. Mission Unaccomplished

**Chapter 4: Mission Unaccomplished**

Master Chu was laid face down on his massage table as his wife massaged his wide bareback. Her hands were covered in jasmine oil and she gently rubbed from the middle of his back to the side of his shoulders. She repeated the pattern, hoping it'll ease the back pain her husband often complained about.

There was a sudden knock at their door. Master Chu's wife shook Master Chu by his shoulders and lean down to his ears. "Jagiya, someone's here," she whisper.

"What?" Master Chu mutter.

"Someone's at the door," she repeated.

Master Chu was on the verge of falling asleep, but instantly realize it may be the F4 men with The Pink Sparkle. He lifted his upper body with both of his elbows and his wife helped him sit up on top of the massage table. "Who is it?" he called towards the door as his wife help dress him in his favorite gray dress shirt.

"The F4 boys are back," Ryuu said through the door.

Master Chu chuckled in happiness and pulled his wife into his arms. He rubbed her pregnant belly and kissed her cheek. "They're back, yeobo," he holler. "Oh, I ought to make a Pink Sparkle ring for you as well."

His wife laughed and buttoned the buttons on his dress shirt. "I'll go check on Jin Ha and give the babysitter a break," she said. She gave a peck her husband's cheek and went to the door.

When she opened the door, the F4 men were still in the middle of a conversation, but quickly became quiet upon seeing her. They stood up straight and gave her a small bow. She smiled, bowed back and walked off like a geisha. The F4 men marched into Master Chu's office, followed by Ryuu.

"How did it go, boys?" Master Chu beam.

Instead of answering, Yi Jung handed the ring to Master Chu. Master Chu grin when the ring was in his hand, but after a quick inspection, his grin dissolve into a frown.

"Ryuu, get Mr. Kim in here right this minute," Master Chu holler. Ryuu bowed and left the room.

"What's the matter?" Woo Bin asked.

Master Chu stared at Yi Jung for a second, then back at the ring. "I thought the diamond would be more sparkling than this." He held the ring at his face and closely inspected it again.

"Master Chu, during the seminar, Dr. Lawlor mention something about a love potion that came with the ring," Jun Pyo said.

Master Chu lower the ring from his face. "Love potion?" he asked in surprised.

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo glanced at each other in confusion and Yi Jung spoke up. "When I was hiding in Dr. Lawlor's dressing room, I overheard him talking about a love potion as well."

"It must be a love potion gel to take off the ring," Mr. Kim said by the door. Everyone shot their eyes at Mr. Kim and he slowly walked into the office with his hands tucked at his back. "I once heard rumors about this love potion, but wasn't sure how true it was."

"It's true," Jun Pyo replied. "Dr. Lawlor said once you wear The Pink Sparkle, it cannot come off unless you use the love potion."

Master Chu huffed in shock. "Hmph! What kind of special ring is this?" he wonder. He handed the ring in his hand to Mr. Kim.

Mr. Kim wore his glasses and glanced at the ring. It only took him a second and a smile instantly appeared on his face. "Master Chu, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't The Pink Sparkle."

Everyone glared at Mr. Kim at the same time in horror. "What do you mean it's not The Pink Sparkle?" Master Chu scowled.

"It's a replica of the ring just like the one I made. Except this one is a cheaper quality," Mr. Kim responded. He held up the ring in front of his mouth and blew a fog on it. The diamond quickly smog up. "A real diamond doesn't fog up. This one does."

The F4 men quickly glanced at one another in shock and confusion. They rarely fail a mission and for this mission, they definitely didn't want to be unsuccessful at it.

"No wonder the ring doesn't sparkle!" Master Chu cried. He angrily slam his right hand onto the table and glared at Yi Jung. "So Yi Jung! Where's The Pink Sparkle!?"

Yi Jung almost took a step back. "Master Chu, I swear to you. That has got to be The Pink Sparkle. I got it out of the glass container and carried it with me the whole time."

"It's true," Ji Hoo defended Yi Jung. "I saw Yi Jung take The Pink Sparkle out of the glass container with my own eyes."

Jun Pyo took a step forward. "Master Chu, you got to trust us on this."

Master Chu threw his right hand onto his forehead in frustration. No matter how upset he was, he knew he can't blame his F4 men for their silly mistake. "Where the hell can The Pink Sparkle possible be then?" He shook his head. "Boys, go backtrack all your steps and bring me the damn ring."

Ji Hoo gave a small bow. "Master Chu, I'll go over all the surveillance videos I was able to record and track our steps from there."

"Don't worry, Master Chu. We'll find The Pink Sparkle," Woo Bin added.

Master Chu nodded. "We got to get this ring before anyone else can get to it," he holler.

"Actually, we do have trouble with us," Ji Hoo quietly replied. "Sasha's men were also at the event and seem aware that we were also there."

Yi Jung folded his arms. "They must have spies working for them," he said.

Master Chu narrowed his eyes. "Damn it, not Sasha and her men now." He took his cane and got on his feet with a moan. "Ryuu, get my wife and daugher into the safe room and tell the guards to keep a better watch out there."

Ryuu bowed and left the room. Master Chu glanced at Mr. Kim. "Mr. Kim, come to the safe room with my family. There's a possibility Sasha's men may finds this place and knowing that woman, she may have some crazy shit up her sleeves." He glared at the F4 men. "Don't make this job any harder than it needs to be. Find The Pink Sparkle before Sasha gets to it." Then he pointed at Yi Jung. "Sasha may be here, so keep your eyes in check."

Yi Jung glared away and pretended he didn't hear Master Chu. The F4 men left the room in the same fashion like how they entered. When they got outside by the front door of the house, Jun Pyo grabbed Yi Jung's shoulder and furiously stood in front of him.

"Damn it, Yi Jung. What the hell did you do with The Pink Sparkle?" Jun Pyo asked, inches away from Yi Jung's face.

Yi Jung scoffed in annoyance. "You think I kept it? Why would I keep a stupid love ring? I don't even believe in lame fairy tales."

"Then what the hell happen to The Pink Sparkle?" Jun Pyo asked again.

"How would I know? The ring I gave to Master Chu is the exact same ring I got out of the glass container. So if that ring in the container is fake, then I guess Dr. Lawlor brought a fake ring to Korea." Yi Jung scoffed again. "That's if The Pink Sparkle actually exist."

"It does exist because I saw The Pink Sparkle during the seminar and even though I sat in the last row, the diamond on the ring sparkled just like how Mr. Kim and Master Chu described it."

Yi Jung glared up and down on Jun Pyo's face. "Jun Pyo, don't be an idiot and fall for a _sparkling_ ring," Yi Jung said, overemphasizing the word 'sparkle'. "What is the ring for you, anyways? You can always ask your rich parents for more money if Master Chu decides to fires us."

"It's not about the money, Yi Jung. It's about respecting the man who has given us the best job in this world."

Yi Jung smirked. "You just don't want to go work for your boring Shinhwa business, right? Who would?"

Jun Pyo shoved Yi Jung's chest and a little scuffle broke out. Woo Bin took Jun Pyo's shoulders and Ji Hoo pulled Yi Jung back.

"Guys, we all use our money for our own individual needs," Ji Hoo said. "Fighting and arguing isn't going to solve anything."

"Relax, Jun Pyo," Woo Bin said when Jun Pyo tried to force himself off of Woo Bin's hold. "I think Yi Jung got distracted with a woman during his escape. Don't worry, man. We'll find The Pink Sparkle soon."

Yi Jung froze and glanced at Ji Hoo with his bushy eyebrows in a narrow line. "Actually, I did get distracted by a woman," Yi Jung said.

Ji Hoo studied Yi Jung's face and smiled. "Let's go check out the surveillance videos," he said.

The men all huddled in the back of the black van as Ji Hoo went through all the footages he was able to recorded during their mission. He fast forward on most part causing Jun Pyo to angrily question him.

"You'll see why I'm skipping these parts," Ji Hoo replied.

Ji Hoo finally found the part he was looking for and slowed the scene down. It was the scene when Yi Jung came running through the crowd in the lobby, stopped for a second to look at an exit door, then quickly turn to his right and body slammed into Ga Eul. Yi Jung fell on top of Ga Eul and Jan Di began kicking him on the leg. He got up on his feet again, scan the floor after checking the pocket on his chest, then picked up a ring a few feet away and ran off the screen.

"Man, Yi Jung. Is that your new way on hitting on girls now?" Woo Bin laughed.

Yi Jung rolled his eyes. "It wasn't my intention to hit her. I was being chased and that rascal was in my way."

Jun Pyo glanced at Ji Hoo. "So what's your point, Ji Hoo? Yi Jung got on top of a girl. What else is new?" He shook his head in annoyance.

"I think this is when Yi Jung lost The Pink Sparkle," Ji Hoo said.

Ji Hoo repeated the scene of Yi Jung falling on Ga Eul a few times on the monitor. Back and forth, back and forth Yi Jung fell onto of Ga Eul. The constant loop of seeing Yi Jung going up and down on Ga Eul was getting on Yi Jung's nerves. There was no doubt he liked the idea of being on top of a girl, but just not this particular girl. The girl he believed that got in his way of an important mission.

"Aish! Can you stop repeating this stupid scene?!" Yi Jung cried at Ji Hoo.

His three friends glared at him and after a long second, Woo Bin and Jun Pyo bursted out laughing. "Wow. Since when did Yi Jung hate watching himself on top of a girl," Jun Pyo said through his laughter.

"Bro, I'm enjoying this," Woo Bin laughed. "Yo Ji Hoo, make the scene go slower."

Ji Hoo smiled and made the clip go even slower. To make matters worst for Yi Jung, Ji Hoo also zoomed in closer to Yi Jung and Ga Eul when they gazed at each other on floor. Yi Jung scoffed and got out of the van.

Woo Bin whistle. "She's a cute girl."

"Hmph. I like the girl that kicked Yi Jung," Jun Pyo said with a grin. "She should had kicked him harder."

Yi Jung furiously glared at his friends. "Can you guys just focus on the ring?"

Woo Bin smirked. "Knowing Yi Jung, I'm surprise he didn't kiss her. It's probably the first time he's been on top of a woman and had no action."

The teasing was making Yi Jung more upset that he gave a little shove on Woo Bin's shoulder. Woo Bin responded by laughing harder. He held up his fists and posed like a boxer. "What? You want to fight for the cute girl now?" Woo Bin laughed again.

"Right there!" Ji Hoo suddenly said. It forced Yi Jung and Woo Bin to face the monitor again. "You see that," Ji Hoo said, pointing on the monitor.

It showed The Pink Sparkle flying out of the pocket of Yi Jung's chest as he stumbled on top of Ga Eul. The ring rested beneath Ga Eul's shoulder on the floor. At the same time while The Pink Sparkle flew, the force of the fall made Ga Eul throw up her hands and the replica ring she bought on her finger also flew out. It landed a few feet above her head. When the scene continued, Yi Jung got up and took the ring above her head.

"Aish!" Yi Jung fluster. "I grabbed the wrong damn ring!" He punched his fist behind the passenger seat.

"Man, I can't believe what I'm seeing," Woo Bin said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"But why was that rascal wearing a similar ring as The Pink Sparkle?" Yi Jung asked with grunt.

"I saw someone selling some fake Pink Sparkle rings to the people in line," Jun Pyo replied. "I'm guessing she must had bought one."

"So, is The Pink Sparkle still in the auditorium?" Woo Bin wondered.

"Let's see," Ji Hoo said.

Ji Hoo continue playing the footage after Yi Jung ran off. Jan Di helped Ga Eul up, then they hugged each other as the two Russian men ran past them. When the men were gone, the girls walked away from the scene, but suddenly stopped and turned around. They quickly went back to the scene and searched the floor. Jan Di found the ring on the floor, picked it up and handed it to Ga Eul. Ga Eul gazed at the ring, but didn't wear it. They spoke for awhile, then finally walked towards the exit door and was soon was out of view for the camera to capture them.

"Aish! That annoying rascal took The Pink Sparkle!" Yi Jung cried into screen.

Woo Bin sighed. "Looks like Yi Jung's cute girl has The Pink Sparkle now."

"How are we going to find her?" Jun Pyo asked.

"You're asking the right person," Ji Hoo replied. "Considering majority of the audiences were students, she may be a student at the university too." Ji Hoo typed something into the computer and the school's website appeared on the monitor. "All I need to do now is hack into the school's files and I should be able to get some information on her."

He typed some more things on the keyboard and various pop ups that bored his friends emerge on the screen. After a few clicks on the mouse and tapping sound on the keyboard, Ga Eul's face surfaced on the monitor with a short biography.

Woo Bin scoffed at Ji Hoo. "Nerd," he quipped.

Yi Jung glared closely on the screen. "Chu Ga Eul?" he said Ga Eul's full name out loud.

"Interesting," Ji Hoo said. "Her home address is the same address as the university. That must mean that she's living in one of the university dorms." He stroll down the screen a little with his mouse. "She was born in the same year as us, have been a student at the university for three years now, and raised in the town of Andong."

"Andong?" Yi Jung snicker and almost rolled his eyes. "So she's a country girl. That's just great."

Jun Pyo cleared his throat. "And what about the girl that kicked Yi Jung? Do you have any info on her?"

Ji Hoo smiled. "I'll print that information for you later. For now, let's focus on Chu Ga Eul."

The F4 men glared back on the monitor at a picture of Ga Eul. The picture was similar to a passport photo; however, Ga Eul's radiant smile and shiny long black hair made the photo look more like a professional model shot. She wore a pastel pink blouse with a white shirt underneath and even with light makeup on, she still manage to look pretty.

While the men gazed at her, Yi Jung felt himself getting hot. Her eyes seem to still sparkle like how he first saw her and even though they were next to each other for a few seconds, she was just as beautiful as he remembered her. He shook his head, hoping to get the phase of her out of his mind and snapped at his friends. "Guys, let's get to work," he said.

Now that the F4 men knew who was carrying The Pink Sparkle, they began plotting a new mission again. Stealing The Pink Sparkle off Dr. Lawlor was quite easy, but stealing it from a woman? To the men, it was like stealing a candy from a baby. The men started the van and drove off to Ga Eul's dorm building.


	5. Pest Control

**Chapter 5: Pest Control**

It was Saturday morning and Ga Eul's woke up at her internal clock time of 7AM. Since the school semester was over and work didn't start until later in the day, she decided to sleep in longer. She hugged her Totoro plush doll and daydreamed of Dr. Lawlor and his wonderful lecture from the prior night. She had learned several new things about gems that even her Geology professor wasn't able to teach her and the In Katech love story was stuck in her mind.

When she shifted her body in bed, she felt a small stab of pain in her back. Ugh, that crazy man who stampeded me last night, she thought as she massaged her lower neck. To forget about the incident and pain, she glanced at her right hand and admired the the elegant ring on her ring finger. The ring sparkle brightly and she smiled, wishing there was someone like In Katech in her life who can also give her such a beautiful gift.

"Ga Eul," a half asleep Jan Di said. Jan Di yawned and faced towards Ga Eul in bed. Her bed was at the opposite end of the room from Ga Eul. "We should do something fun before work tonight."

Ga Eul glanced over at Jan Di. "We can go shopping and pick out more clothes to take us with to Japan," she suggested.

"Great idea! I still haven't found a nice hat yet," Jan Di said. She notice how Ga Eul was still massaging her neck. "Are you in pain because of that perverted man?" She sat up in her bed and held up a fist. "If I ever see him again, I'm going to kill him!"

"I'm fine, Jan Di," Ga Eul chuckled. She hugged her Totoro doll again and gazed at the sparkling ring on her right hand. "You know the ring we bought from the ahjussi last night?"

"Yeah?" Jan Di said, cuddling a Pikachu pillow on her bed.

"When I bought it, it didn't fit well. But for some reason today, it fits perfectly."

"Maybe it's a sign that you'll meet your 'In Katech' soon?" Jan Di said in a teasing tone.

The girls chuckled and got out of bed. They did their usual morning routine; using the bathroom and adding a light makeup on. After they wore their casual shopping clothes, a blouse and pair of jeans, an announcement came on through a speaker in their room.

"All residents on floor three, please leave your doors open, evacuate your vicinity and report to the main lobby as soon as possible," the announcement said on repeat.

Ga Eul and Jan Di stared at each other in confusion. The good news for them was, they finally knew for sure that the speaker in their room worked, yet the bad news was they were on floor three. "What do you think it is?" Jan Di nervously asked. "Miss Choi rarely comes on the announcement unless it's something important."

Ga Eul twisted her mouth to the side and thought for second. "I don't know what it may be, but I think we should pack some of our belongings in case this evacuation last longer than we think?"

Jan Di nodded in agreement and the girls quickly got their backpacks, tossing some makeups and an outfit or two in it. Ga Eul also shoved her Totoro plush doll in her backpack and they left their rooms with their door wide open, just like how they were told to. The hall towards the elevator was already filled with many female residents waiting for their turns to squeeze inside the elevator. Ga Eul and Jan Di was one of the last in the pack and they stood on their tippy toes, checking over the crowd to see how much longer the wait is.

"Ga Eul! Jan Di!" someone called.

The two girls glared behind them and saw one of their classmates and friend, Yoo Ah Ra, calling them. Ah Ra was a tall, slim girl who wore a long pink shirt with a matching pink princess slippers. She covered her mouth and yawned as she approached them. "Do you know what's going on?" she asked.

Ga Eul and Jan Di gave each other a puzzled look. They were hoping Ah Ra may know the answer since Ah Ra was popular on campus for knowing the latest gossips. "We're not sure, but it doesn't look like a fire drill," Ga Eul replied.

Ah Ra gasp when she noticed Ga Eul and Jan Di were wearing their backpacks. "Omo. Were we supposed to pack up as well? I didn't know that," she said. "Maybe I should go back to my room and pack too."

Ah Ra was about to turn around and storm back to her room when a chubby lady with a polo shirt stood in front of her. "No, Ah Ra. No one is allowed back to their rooms," the lady said.

"But Miss Bae, I just need to get a few items first," Ah Ra pleaded.

Miss Bae ignored her and hollered at everyone who was waiting for the elevator. "Come on, ladies! Don't be lazy and take the stairs!" She waved her arms from side to side and directed all the girls towards the door of the stairway. "Let's move! Let's move!" she shouted.

All the girls grumbled and slowly headed towards the stairs. Miss Bae got on a walkie talkie and reported that the elevator was now clear.

"Miss Bae, do you know what's going on?" Ga Eul asked Miss Bae as a line of girls stream pass in between her and Miss Bae.

"Go downstairs and we'll announce what's going on," Miss Bae replied.

Ga Eul sighed and followed the crowd with Jan Di and Ah Ra. Soon, they were in the main lobby where more female residents from their floor had gathered. Everyone was chatting among themselves, questioning and already spreading rumors on why they had to suddenly leave their rooms. Unsurprisingly, Ah Ra seem to already know most of the rumors floating around.

"Omo! I just heard from Shin Young that all the girls on our floor are in trouble for being unfit and they're taking us to bootcamp soon," Ah Ra said.

"Eh!?" Jan Di and Ga Eul said at the same time with their mouths wide open. Not only were they shocked by the rumor, but they were also amazed at how fast Ah Ra heard it. Ah Ra had been next to them the whole time while Shin Young on the other side of the lobby.

"How can we be unfit? I workout at the gym almost everyday," Jan Di cried.

Ah Ra didn't hear what Jan Di said, yet her big ears was eavesdropping on a group of girls nearby. She looked amused and slowly nodded. "Or maybe it's not a bootcamp we're going to. Maybe they're collecting us to fly out to an island and be lost in a maze."

Ga Eul scoffed. "Ah Ra, I think you've been reading too much of The Maze Runner books."

Ah Ra chuckled and lower her voice. "Jo Yeon just said that earlier, she saw a group of men dressed in yellow suits by the elevators. She thinks they're here to find some ghosts because her roommate recently reported of hearing some noises in the middle of the night."

"Men in the women's dormitory?" Jan Di said.

"Ghost?" Ga Eul added.

The girls glanced at each other and quickly embraced for comfort.

It was much easier than the what the F4 men thought. After Ji Hoo hacked into the dormitory's system, he was able to gain access and find out what room Ga Eul was in. Yi Jung then used his charm and lied to Miss Choi, the owner of the building, of some reported pest complaints from the third floor. He explained how it was urgent that the issue must be dealt with or all of the residents may get sick and file lawsuits.

The elevator door opened on the third floor and the men stepped out dressed in yellow hazmat suits they bought from a pest shop. They each carried a half gallon spray bottle which was filled with only tap water and cruised down the hall. Ji Hoo was the first to find Ga Eul's room and the men followed him in. Like most dorm rooms, Ga Eul and Jan Di's room was no different. It was small with a twin bed and dresser at each end of the corner. The men quickly scattered and began searching every nook and cranny of the place.

While Yi Jung was searching Ga Eul's bed, he couldn't keep his eyes off a photo frame on top of her nightstand. The picture in the frame was of Ga Eul standing in between two women. One woman had some wrinkles around her eyes while the other looked like a twin of Ga Eul. The three women were all smiles and wore matching blouses. Yi Jung assumed the two other women must be Ga Eul's mother and sister.

Everyone was busy searching at places they believed belonged to Ga Eul, except for Jun Pyo who was taking his sweet time inspecting each draw on Jan Di's dresser. Yi Jung glared at Jun Pyo, frustrated at seeing Jun Pyo examining one of Jan Di's panties. "Jun Pyo, do you really think Ga Eul will leave The Pink Sparkle in there?" Yi Jung asked after rolling his eyes.

"Yah! You never know? It can be anywhere in this room," Jun Pyo replied. He angrily glared at Yi Jung that Yi Jung should mind his own business and continued on his inspection in Jan Di's dresser.

It took the men half an hour to realize that The Pink Sparkle wasn't in the room. They left the room in a mess and stood by the elevator door with disappointment. "Aish!" Yi Jung said, walking back and forth. "If it's not in there, then it must be on her."

"I told you she might be wearing it," Woo Bin said to Yi Jung with his arms stretch out.

Ji Hoo sighed and shook his head. "Looks like it'll be plan B then."

The elevator door popped open and Yi Jung grunted and stepped in last.

While the men headed back down to the main lobby, Miss Choi announced to the residents that there was pest found on the third floor and some men had been ordered to solve the issue. Most of the girls were relieved that the rumors they've been hearing was false, while a few were actually disappointed. Since things didn't seem serious, Ga Eul and Jan Di decided they should do what they were planning on doing, go shopping. But when they asked Miss Choi for permission to leave, Miss Choi wouldn't allow them.

"I was told that all the ladies need to be here until the men are done," Miss Choi said.

"But we won't long," Ga Eul said. Jan Di nodded along in agreement.

"I'm sorry, ladies. It was an order by the men. Please, be patient."

Ga Eul and Jan Di had no choice but to wait it out. They sat on the floor with the other residents and went on the internet through their phones. It didn't surprised them when their social media pages was filled with more gossips about their evacuation. Someone had posted that four men had entered their floor and were actually male strippers, while in another post, which Jan Di and Ga Eul found to be hilarious, that the men were former Shinhwa high school flower boys.

"Flower boys from Shinhwa High?" Jan Di laughed. "No flower boys from that school would ever work as pest control employees. I actually believe the stripper story more."

As the rumor mill continued and the chatter got louder, none of the girls realized the F4 men were in the lobby until one of the girls pointed them at. Most of them gasped, giggled and squirmed as if they have never seen the male species before.

The men were still in their yellow hazmat suits and each wore a white cotton face mask. They went straight to Miss Choi and after talking with her for a minute, two of them left the building. Miss Choi approached the girls in the lobby and cleared her throat. "Okay ladies, I got some great news. There were no pest found on your floor and you're all safe to go back to your rooms. I apologize for your inconveniences."

The girls grumbled and headed towards the elevators. Ga Eul, Jan Di and Ah Ra trailed behind but were stopped by Miss Choi. "Ga Eul. Jan Di. I need to talk with you ladies for a moment," Miss Choi said with a worried look.

"Is everything okay?" Ah Ra asked.

"Everything's fine, Ah Ra. You go ahead to your room," Miss Choi replied. Ah Ra shrugged at her two friends and followed a group of giggling girls.

"This way, ladies," Miss Choi said to Jan Di and Ga Eul.

She led them directly to Yi Jung and Jun Pyo and walked off. The girls were more confused than ever. They glanced at one another and intertwined their arms. Yi Jung took a step forward and without hesitation or looking at Ga Eul, he pulled Ga Eul's right hand out towards him. The Pink Sparkle beam brightly on her finger. It was just like how he remembered it when he first saw it in Dr. Lawlor's glass container. Things are going to get more complicated now, he thought.

He glared at Jun Pyo, but Jun Pyo's eyes were fixed on Jan Di. "You two will have to come with us," he sighed.

Ga Eul quickly pulled her hand from his grip. "W-why?" Ga Eul asked.

"Yah! We didn't do anything wrong," Jan Di protest.

"We found pest in your room," Jun Pyo said.

"Pest!?" Jan Di said in exasperation. "Miss Choi just told us that you guys didn't find anything."

"We only said that to not scare the other girls," Yi Jung answer. "We need to question the both of you in our office. Come on." He took Ga Eul's hand, but Ga Eul quickly pulled it away again.

"I'm not going unless you show us proof that you found pest in our room," Ga Eul said.

Yi Jung was already annoyed at Ga Eul for wearing The Pink Sparkle, and now she's not obeying him? He was was boiling in rage. He furiously pulled her into his chest by her wrist and she shrieked in surprise when their faces were inches away. Ga Eul can feel the heat steaming off of Yi Jung's body and her heart began beating so fast, she can hear it in her eardrums. Without a blink, she suddenly was lifted into the air by his right arm and was carried away on his shoulder like a baby.

"Ga Eul!" Jan Di cried. She was about to chase Yi Jung with a screaming Ga Eul on his shoulder, but she too was carried off by Jun Pyo in the same manner. "Let me go, you idiot!" she squirmed and threw punches at Jun Pyo's back. "Let me go!"

Jun Pyo only smirked and followed Yi Jung to the black van in front of the building. Woo Bin opened the slide door and Yi Jung and Jun Pyo tossed the girls inside. The girls groan when they landed on their bottoms and anxiously scooted towards the corner of the van when Yi Jung and Jun Pyo climbed in. Ji Hoo stepped on the gas and the van left the building.

"She's wearing it?" Ji Hoo asked Yi Jung.

Yi Jung looked out the window and slowly nodded.

"And what's she doing here?" Woo Bin asked, pointing with his head towards Jan Di.

"She's here because...because she's supposed to be," Jun Pyo answer.

"If you say so, boss," Woo Bin chuckled.

The van quickly became humid causing Yi Jung and Jun Pyo to took off their masks. Ga Eul gasp when she finally saw Yi Jung's face. She recognized him as the same man who ran over her at the auditorium lobby.

"Jan Di, he's the guy who shoved me down last night," Ga Eul whispered closely to Jan Di's ear.

Jan Di glared at Yi Jung. "Aigoo. He is," she whispered back. She sat up straight. "Yah. We know you. You're the one who sexually assaulted my friend. I'm going to kill you." She immediately crawled towards Yi Jung with a fist up, but Jun Pyo got in front of her.

"It was an accident," Jun Pyo said, holding Jan Di back. "He didn't mean to hurt your friend." Jun Pyo eyeballed Yi Jung, trying to hint Yi Jung that Yi Jung should apologize.

Yi Jung sighed. "Sorry," he said, not looking at the girls. He climbed into the passenger seat and never looked back.

"See. He apologized. Now go back and sit," Jun Pyo said.

Jan Di wasn't satisfied by Yi Jung's condescending apology, but when Ga Eul poked her and told her to let it go, she finally gave up and went to sit next to her friend again. After a long silence, she spoke again. "Why can't didn't you guys just question us at the lobby? Or what about in here? Right now? What kind of questions do you want to ask? I've never even seen any pest in our room."

"Yo, calm down," Woo Bin said. "If you keep acting that way, then maybe you're the pest." He chuckled along with Jun Pyo.

Jan Di angrily glared at Woo Bin. "Yah! Shut up!" she cried.

"When we get to our office and gather more information, we'll release you two," Jun Pyo said.

They soon arrived at Master Chu's estate and the men took the girls to Master Chu's safe room. The room was in a bunker, deep in the basement and they had to take some steep concrete stairs down. Ga Eul and Jan Di continued to clung on each other and their eyes darted at every corner they turned. They had no idea where they were at. Every step they took made one of the Ah Ra's rumors become more realistic. Perhaps they were selected to be in a maze or a boot camp afterall.

The door to Master Chu's bunker was closed and Ryuu was standing in front of it. When Ryuu saw them approaching, he knocked on the door. "Sir, the men are back," he said.

Master Chu's roaring laughter, followed by his wife's chuckles, can be heard through the door. "Send them in, Ryuu!" Master Chu holler.

Ryuu push the door open. Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo, and Woo Bin walked in while Ga Eul and Jan Di stood frozen until Yi Jung poked their backs and ordered them to go in. The girls gazed each other, nodded at what they were about to face, then walked in together.

The room was the same size as Master Chu's office. At one corner of the room, Mr. Kim was by a desk and was busy typing something on a computer. The other corner was a living area where Master Chu and his wife sat cuddling on a sofa, watching their daughter play with some blocks of toys on the floor. The F4 men lined themselves next to the sofa while Jan Di and Ga Eul hid behind them.

"Yeobo, do you want us to leave?" Master Chu's wife asked her husband. She was snuggled deep inside his arm and was rubbing the side of his huge belly.

"You're fine where you're at, jagiya," Master Chu said in a sweet tone, then glared up at the F4 men. "Did you find it, boys?"

Jun Pyo nodded. "We did."

"And? Where is it?"

Ga Eul and Jan Di were still hiding behind Woo Bin and Ji Hoo and when the men found them, they moved to the side and exposed the girls in front of Master Chu. Master Chu was grinning with excitement, but when he saw the girls, his grin instantly melted away. He slowly released his wife from his arm and took his cane.

It surprised his wife and she glanced up at him. "Yeobo?" she asked in confusion.

Master Chu stood up and haven't blinked once. He swallowed hard as a new set of sweat pour down his head. "Ga-Ga Eul?" he said.

Ga Eul's eyes grew wide and she slowly released Jan Di's arm. "Appa?" she said back.


	6. Underground Surprises

**Chapter 6: Underground Surprises**

Ga Eul have not seen her father in over ten years, so to see him again was a bit of a surprise for her, especially in this way. He was a man who was rarely home during her childhood and when he was home, he was often drunk and would end up in an argument with Ga Eul's mother. As the years progressed since Ga Eul was five, her father came home lesser and lesser and eventually just never came back.

It had always made Ga Eul curious on his whereabouts and she would usually question why he would hated her mother, older sister, or maybe even her. She once asked her mother about him when she was nine, but after a long and blank look, her mother replied that he was a busy man and she shouldn't worry about him.

Then one summer day, when she was ten and a half, he showed up at their front porch. His clothes were dirty and his face was bruised with a swollen left eye. He begged Ga Eul's mother for forgiveness and to accept him back in the family he help created with her. But she rejected him and closed the door in his face. Ga Eul remember running to her bedroom to sob on her bed. She wanted to meet and see her father in person. After half an hour, she went to look out of the window in her room to clear her head but her swollen red eyes saw her father sitting on a dirt road across from her house. She wanted to call out to him, but was unsure on what to say. Instead, she attentively watched her father and wiped some remaining tears in her eyes.

For a while his lifeless body remain unmoved, and she thought he was asleep or perhaps dead, but he slowly got up and limped away in pain. The further he walked away on the dirt path, the more he fell onto his knees. Each fall made Ga Eul wanted to run out of her home and help him. Yet something inside her was stopping her from doing so.

Her house was on top of a hill and surrounded by green fields that her neighbors owned. She soon saw her father allowing the dirt path to glide his feet down the hill. It seem to help and he was tripping anymore. She watched and watched until he got smaller and smaller in the distance and disappeared in the same steep path where the sun also sets.

The following morning when she left for school, she found a white notebook and Totoro plush doll on the front porch. Each gift had a note on it and she read the note on Totoro. " _To my beautiful daughter, Ga Eul. Please forgive appa. Saranghae."_

Ga Eul ran inside her home and cried in anger at her mother for not accepting her father back. It was only then when her mother finally confessed and told her how he was in a dangerous mafia gang who commit crimes and murder innocent people. She weeped and held Ga Eul, telling Ga Eul that he was also a horrible, selfish person and Ga Eul didn't deserve to be near a man like him.

Since that day, Ga Eul finally stopped thinking about her father, yet decided to keep the Totoro doll. Even though she despised her father for his poor behavior and choices in life, Totoro's big belly reminded her of him and she prayed that maybe, just maybe one day, she'll get to meet him again as a changed man. As for the notebook which belonged to her sister, that was thrown away by her sister the moment she saw it. Her sister had always hated their father like he was the devil.

Ga Eul glanced down at her nervous intertwining hands, then she gazed up at her father again. He had gotten much older and bigger than the last time she had seen him. Her eyes darted at his wife and his little daughter and a sharp pain sting her heart. She couldn't believe her father had started a new family and forgotten about her already. To know of his new family and how he's still in a mafia, it made her distraught and she couldn't bare to stay in the same room with him anymore. She turned towards the door and stormed off.

Master Chu held out his hand. "Ga Eul!" he holler. "Stop her, boys!"

The F4 men were still in shock at the revelation of Master Chu and Ga Eul's relationship that they had lost track of where they were. It had never occurred to them that Master Chu may have a daughter with a similar age as them. Whenever they met him, they left their personal matters at the door and only talked business. They respected his privacy like how he respected theirs and this mutual respect was one of the reason their bond remain intact.

The continue hollering from Master Chu finally snapped them back down to earth and Yi Jung and Woo Bin quickly ran to Ga Eul to hold her back.

"Please, let me go," Ga Eul whimper, trying to fight off their hold.

Jan Di was about to pursuit and help her friend, but Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo held her back as well. Ga Eul was guided back in front of Master Chu yet she lower her head and wouldn't look at him.

"Master Chu, Ga Eul's wearing The Pink Sparkle," Yi Jung said after releasing Ga Eul.

Master Chu was surprised, but kept quiet. He looked at his feet and can feel his wife hugging his arm. He knew she was worried about him because he vented on how his two older daughters must hate him for not being in their lives. And to now see one of those daughter in flesh was a happy yet nervous feeling.

"We saw through the surveillance videos that when Yi Jung was being chased by Sasha's men in the auditorium, Yi Jung bumped into Ga Eul there causing her replica ring and The Pink Sparkle to be accidentally exchanged," Ji Hoo said.

My replica ring and The Pink Sparkle? Exchange? Ga Eul thought. Wait. I'm wearing THE Pink Sparkle?

She was getting so confused, she had to peek at the ring on her finger. Just from the short glimpse, the ring glitter vibrantly back at her. Startled that it was the actual ring she saw last night on stage, she took a step back, frantically shaking her head. "But...how?...It can't be The Pink Sparkle," she trembled.

Yi Jung sighed. "Well, it is."

"We're going to have to find the love potion," Ji Hoo said. "It's the only way to get the ring off of her."

Ga Eul didn't believe them and desperately tried pulling the ring off her, but it was hooked on her finger and didn't budge. "No. It can't be," she whimper.

"What's wrong with wearing The Pink Sparkle?" Jan Di question the group. "It's only a ring."

"It's a special ring," Jun Pyo replied. "Didn't you hear what Dr. Lawlor said in the seminar? Once you wear it, you can't take it off unless you have a certain love potion."

Jan Di snorted at Jun Pyo and took Ga Eul's hand. She tried pulling The Pink Sparkle off her friend's hand, but it still remained in the same spot. She nervously chuckled and wrestled with the ring. "We should try putting baby lotion on it. Maybe it'll become more slippy and slip out," she suggested.

Mr. Kim approach the girls and shook his head. "I'm sorry, ladies. But the only way that ring will slip off is from the love potion that In Katech and his jeweler created."

"So that would mean we have to find Dr. Lawlor," Woo Bin replied. "He has the potion, right?"

Yi Jung nodded. "He mention in the dressing room that he was going to attend a KPop concert last night. Maybe he still might in the country?"

Ji Hoo quickly went to the computer at the corner of the room and his friends and Mr. Kim followed him. While the men searched for Dr. Lawlor's current location, Ga Eul and Jan Di continued their trek on getting The Pink Sparkle off.

Master Chu turned to his wife. He patted her hands in comfort and smiled. "Jagiya, I'm fine. I would like to talk with Ga Eul in private for a while."

His wife pleasantly smiled and took their daughter to a corner of the room where a bookshelf and lounge chair was at. Master Chu watched Ga Eul and Jan Di groan in frustration as they began to lose hope on getting The Pink Sparkle loose.

"Ladies, there's no use in trying without the love potion," Master Chu said to the girls. They frown and finally gave up. Master Chu faced Ga Eul. "Ga Eul, if it's okay with you, may I please have a word with you in private?"

Jan Di glanced at Ga Eul and Ga Eul lower her eyes with a small nod. It was relieving feeling for Master Chu to see Ga Eul approve of their time. His smile grew and and he gave a small bow to Jan Di as Jan Di ponder off.

"Ga Eul, how have you been?" Master Chu asked.

Ga Eul's eyes never left the floor. She was quiet and for a while, Master Chu thought she would never answer him. "Fine," she finally spoke. "And you?"

"I'm fine too," Master Chu replied. He noticed her eyeing his cane and cripple feet. "This right foot of mine have been injured for over ten years. It didn't help when I gain some weight. It added more pressure to the foot." He slapped his belly as if he was blaming the food for getting him overweight. "I still think about you and Tae Yang everyday. How is your sister, by the way?"

"Okay," Ga Eul replied. The thought of her sister made her miss her sister. "She's still with omma back home."

Master Chu smiled. "I'm happy to hear she's well and I hope your omma has also been well. I'm very happy to see you-"

"Are you really?" Ga Eul cut in. "Don't lie to me, appa, when you still care more about your mafia gang than us."

Master Chu was taken aback a little by Ga Eul's sudden outburst. "I'm not lying and it was never my intention to leave you and Tae Yang. I still love you girls deeply. I just never got along with your omma. Please, Ga Eul. Your omma never forgave, but I hope you can."

Ga Eul glanced at his wife and little daughter by the corner of the room. They were cuddled together, reading a children's book. "And you even started another family, appa? Why? So you can hurt them as well?"

Master Chu shook his head. "No. I will never hurt my girls." He sat down on the sofa with a soft moan, rubbed his eyes with one hand and looked up at Ga Eul again. "Sometimes life can take you to places you never thought it could, Ga Eul. After I realized I may never get to see you and Tae Yang again, I thought I lost a family forever. But when I met Sun Yoon, I was given a second chance at love. Sun Yoon and my three years old daughter, Jin Ha are the best things that has happen in my life since you and Tae Yang." He glanced over at his wife and daughter and smiled. "Jin Ha will be a unnie very soon."

Ga Eul bit her bottom lips. "I'm happy for you, appa. But are you willing to leave the mafia for them?"

Master Chu glared back at Ga Eul with his smile gone. "I know. I'm selfish man. If you decide to not forgive me or no longer want to see me anymore, I understand and respect your decision."

The F4 men appeared a few feet away from Master Chu and Ga Eul, forcing them to stop their conversation. "Bad news, Master Chu. We found out that Dr. Lawlor never attended any KPop concert last night," Ji Hoo said. "Instead we found footages of him at Incheon airport flying back home."

"What?!" Master Chu holler and stomped his cane on the floor. "Boys, you're going to have to go after him! Find that love potion and get The Pink Sparkle off of Ga Eul as soon as possible!"

Ga Eul nervously whimper and Jan Di came running to hug her. Before anyone can move, a few loud bangs were heard coming from upstairs, then without warning, a horn like a fire truck boom throughout their room.

"What is that?" Jan Di panic and hugged Ga Eul closer.

"It must be Sasha's men! They must had found this place!" Master Chu cried over the loud horn.

Ji Hoo ran back to the computer and checked the surveillance videos. "It is Sasha's men! They broke through the front gate!" He glared up from the computer. "Some of guards are down."

Master Chu got up and his wife and daughter ran to hug him. "Appa!" Jin Ha cried at the loud horn sound.

"What do you mean they're 'down'?!" Jan Di asked about the fallen men at the front gate.

There was a sudden pop of a gunshot noise and cry was at their door. Ryuu had been out by their door and came in. "Master Chu! The whole place has been ambushed by Sasha's men!" he cried. He closed the door behind him when he heard footsteps coming towards their room.

"What's going on? Who the hell is Sasha?" Jan Di continued with her questions.

"It's some Russian mafia," Jun Pyo answer. "They're here for The Pink Sparkle."

Jan Di and Ga Eul embraced tighter, wishing they'd rather be at the maze challenge now. At least in the maze there was a way out, unlike the underground bunker they were currently stuck in.

"Ryuu, pull the metal down!" Master Chu yelled, pointing above the door.

Ryuu reached up at the door and pulled a thick metal down. It was so heavy that Yi Jung and Woo Bin rushed to help him. They dragged the metal until it slam on the floor with a thud. A round of gunshots exploded on the door and the women in the room jumped back in shock. Sasha's men had already found their bunker and they began pounding and kicking it.

Master Chu pointed at Marilyn Monroe portrait on the wall in the middle of the room. "Behind that portrait, there are guns in a safe."

Ji Hoo and Yi Jung took the portrait off and unlock the safe. Every men got a pistol as the pounding at the metal door went on. They all glanced at each other, unsure what their next move should be until Master Chu spoke again. "I didn't buy this place for me to get trap in." He pointed at the bookshelf his wife and daughter was at just a while ago. "We're going to have to take the tunnel."

The tunnel door was a metal hatch and hidden and attached behind the bookshelf. It took three men just to lift the hatch open. Every other person received a flashlight from the computer desk and one by one, they each went inside the dark tunnel. Ryuu was last and closed the hatch.

Inside the tunnel, it was humid and stinked like animal droppings. It barely fitted Master Chu's wide body and Ryuu had to crouch down because he was too tall. Their flashlights beamed at every inch of their path. The walls were frozen dirt with some boulders to hold up the ceiling and there were rats scampering away from them. Ga Eul screamed when she saw some the rats hover by her feet and Ryuu stomped and killed a few with his foot because they were climbing up his legs. Soon, Jin Ha started crying in her mother's arm, confused and afraid of the dark. Her mother tried calming her down, but got breathless and paused to lean against the dirt wall.

"Jagiya, are you okay?" Master Chu asked from behind her.

Woo Bin was in front of her and notice she almost dropped Jin Ha. He quickly grab Jin Ha and carried Jin Ha his arm. "Baby girl, it's going to be okay," Woo Bin comforted Jin Ha. His words helped Jin Ha quiet down, but when Ga Eul pulled out her Totoro doll from her backpack and handed it to Jin Ha, Jin Ha instantly giggled and happily embraced it.

After a few deep breaths, Sun Yoon gain some of her energies back and with the assist of Master Chu, she hobbled on with the others. They followed the path and walked as far as what felt like a football length. The humidity and smell was getting to some of them and they began to slow down, making the journey longer than it should be. Mr. Kim stumbled a few times along the way, but Yi Jung was behind him and lifted him up each time.

"Where does this tunnel leads to?" Yi Jung asked.

"To a storage garage," Master Chu replied with a huff.

The path ended at a dead end and Jun Pyo, who was the first in line, beamed his flashlight up at some glowing lights that shined through the cracks of a small metal door. He reached to the door was it was still another arm's length above him.

"A ladder," Ji Hoo said, flashing his flashlight at a short ladder by Jun Pyo's feet. Jun Pyo got the ladder and climbed on it. When he reached the door, he tried opening it but it was locked.

Ga Eul and Jan Di whimper. "What now?" Jan Di asked.

"I have the key to open the hatch," Master Chu said. "Here, Jun Pyo!"

He tossed a key to Jun Pyo, but it was dark and Jun Pyo didn't see and catch the key. It fell on the ground and Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo scrambled with their flashlight to searched for it. "Found it," Jun Pyo said with grin as he held up the key.

"AHH!" Sun Yoon screamed. The scream startled everyone that they beamed their lights towards Sun Yoon, but what they saw shocked them more than her cry.

Ryuu was holding his gun and flashlight on Master Chu's head. "No one moves or Master Chu gets kill," Ryuu said.


	7. Team Up

**Chapter 7: Team Up**

The sweats on Master Chu's forehead trickled all the way down to his chin. It dripped to the ground, creating a new puddle of water by his foot. He can feel the tip of Ryuu's gun leaving a mark on the side of his face and the tense silent fear from the others in the tunnel made him more worried than the position he was in.

"Yeobo," Sun Yoon sobbed. She took a step forward and stretched her arms towards her husband, but Woo Bin pulled her back, concern that a small move may make Ryuu use his gun.

"Ryuu, don't do this. You've been my bodyguard for four years and I've always treated you right. How can you betray me?" Master Chu said after a hard swallow.

Ryuu chuckled. "I'm sorry, old man. But I'm getting paid by Sasha ten times more than you could ever afford to pay me." His white eyeballs glowed in the dark and it focused at Ga Eul. "Girl with The Pink Sparkle. Come towards me," he holler.

Ga Eul clenched her sweaty palms together by her chest and without thinking, she glided directly to Ryuu like a robot taking orders from its master. However, a firm grip on her shoulder stopped her.

"If you want The Pink Sparkle, you're going to have to deal with me first," Yi Jung said, holding Ga Eul back.

Ryuu snicker and shoved his gun so hard on Master Chu's head that Master Chu groan at the painful impact. Sun Yoon fell onto her knees and began begging Ryuu to release Master Chu. Still, Ryuu kept to his words and ignored her plea. "Another step, then he's dead," Ryuu said to Yi Jung. "Now come to me, Pink Sparkle girl."

Ga Eul flinched Yi Jung's hand off from her shoulder and walked towards Ryuu. She didn't have a good relationship with her father, yet she thought of Jin Ha and the unborn child in Sun Yoon. There was no way she was going to let two children be raised without a father again.

"Ga Eul, don't listen to him. Don't come over here," Master Chu said. "Please, Ga Eul! Save yourself."

But Ga Eul pretended to not hear her father's request and kept on walking. Ryuu grin the closer she got. Then without a blink, Master Chu turned towards Ryuu and grabbed the hand where Ryuu held his gun. Bang! Ryuu's gun went off in the air. Master Chu and Ryuu were in a scuffle now for the gun, huffing and groaning. All the women screamed as the F4 men shoved their way to help Master Chu. Bang! Another gunshot went off again.

The tunnel went quiet with only the eerie sound of the last gunshot still ringing in their ears. Everything happen so fast and sudden, no one knew who shot who and if anyone was hurt. They beamed their lights back at Master Chu and Ryuu again and saw blood stain by Ryuu's feet. Ryuu gazed down at his shoulder as a stream of blood flow out from it. He slowly slump to the ground and fell to his side.

Jan Di gasp and everyone stood still, unsure at who shot Ryuu. It can't be Master Chu since Ryuu was still holding his gun. Their eyes followed the crisp smoke in the air and it led them to a gun Yi Jung was holding.

Yi Jung stood with his gun and flashlight aimed directly at Ryuu. When he saw Ryuu down, he shuffle closer to Master Chu and Ga Eul.

"Ga Eul, are you okay?" Master Chu asked Ga Eul.

Ga Eul nodded as tears swell in her eyes. Master Chu reached up to her face and wiped a small tear that was about to emerge. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this," he whisper. "I promise you, I will never let you get hurt again." He pulled Ga Eul in for a bear hug and Ga Eul sobbed softly in his chest.

Bang!

It was another gunshot.

Ga Eul can feel her father sliding down on her. She studied his face and saw him choking for air. "Appa!" Ga Eul cried.

"Yeobo!" Sun Yoon also cried.

Everyone panic and ran towards Master Chu once again.

Yi Jung saw Ryuu lifting his head up from the ground with his gun aimed high. Yi Jung's eyes had deceived him for Ryuu was still alive. In rage and without hesitation, he shot Ryuu down again, this time directly at Ryuu's head. Some splatter of blood came flying onto his face as Ryuu's gun fell to the ground along with his head. He kicked Ryuu, checking and making sure the half-Japanese man was dead, and when Ryuu laid motionlessly, it was only then he eased his grip on his gun again.

Master Chu was on his knees now and he slowly slumped onto Ga Eul. Ga Eul and Sun Yoon sobbed uncontrollably and tugged on Master Chu to keep him conscious.

Frustrated at seeing how things had unfolded, Jun Pyo unlock the metal door and shouted at his friends to carry Master Chu up. "Let's get out of this rat's hole!" he yelled.

Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo help lifted each person up into the storage garage while Woo Bin and Yi Jung stay below to make sure everyone got up safely. The hardest person to carry through the door was Master Chu. Not only was he injured, he was also a huge man. When he got halfway through the door, his big belly almost got stuck that the buttons on his dress shirt ripped off and flew everywhere. He came out of the dark tunnel with his round bare belly exposed. Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo tried their best to carefully lay him on the floor, but Jan Di insisted they turn him around and lay him on his belly.

"He got shot in the back and we need to control the bleeding right now," Jan Di said. She noticed the awkward look on Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo's face. "I'm a trainee nurse," she assured them.

The two men face Master Chu on his belly and Master Chu's nose barely touch the floor because his massive thick stomach held his body up. He was shot in the upper left side beneath his back collarbone and he groan in pain when he felt Jan Di's touch. Sun Yoon continued to sob next to him as Ga Eul stood, cupping her cheeks in shock. Jin Ha was taken away from the scene by Mr. Kim and together, they sat by a corner and watched from afar.

Jan Di ripped one side of Master Chu's dress shirt, crumbled it into a ball and added pressure on the wound with it. However, the ball quickly soaked in blood and more blood continued to stream out. "Find me a cloth or if there's any kind of medicine," she shouted at the F4 men.

The storage garage was similar to a barnhouse except it was made out of metal. There was a black van and a Harley Davidson motorcycle inside the building with some tool shed and cabinets at one corner. The men ran to the cabinets and were able to find some bath towels.

"That'd work," Jan Di said. She tossed the small soaked ball away and placed the towel on the wound again.

"Yeobo!" Sun Yoon cried when Master Chu moaned from the hard pressure by Jan Di.

Jun Pyo brought over a first aid kit and set it next to Jan Di. "I found this in the van," he said.

"Thanks, but he's going to need to go to the hospital right now," Jan Di said. She wiped her wet forehead and left a blood mark there. "We can't contain his blood in this place. He needs better medication than this kit."

"I'm not sure if it's a good idea to take him to the hospital right now. Sasha's men may try to find us there," Yi Jung broke in.

Ji Hoo nodded in agreement. "My grandfather is a doctor and owns a clinic. We can take Master Chu there."

The men carried Master Chu into the back of the van. It was a similar black van like the one they used in their last mission. They gently placed Master Chu inside, yet Sun Yoon was upset to see her husband in pain and took it out on the men. "Please, be careful and don't hurt my jagiya," she sobbed.

Woo Bin unlocked and lifted a huge garage door open. Some fresh breeze blew inside the building, giving a little hope that things will eventually be okay. The F4 men gather next to the van and quickly brainstorm what they should do next at this critical time.

"Master Chu lost all his guards at his estate. He's going to need us to protect him and his family," Jun Pyo said.

"We may have to split," Ji Hoo replied. "Two of us should chase Dr. Lawlor down for the love potion while the other two watch over Master Chu."

"I can chase Dr. Lawlor," Yi Jung volunteer. "I can do it by myself. The three of you should stay with Master Chu."

Woo Bin slapped Yi Jung's back. "Are you sure you don't need a backup man?"

Yi Jung waved Woo Bin off and smirked. "I work better alone."

"Yi Jung," Jun Pyo scowl. Whenever Yi Jung volunteered to work alone, it always caused Jun Pyo to be nervous. He fidgeted and glared at Yi Jung. "You better be back safe."

Yi Jung pulled his gun out from the back of his pants and checked his bullets. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone," he smiled.

"I'll contact the pilots of Master Chu's jet plane. The plane should be ready by the time you get there," Ji Hoo said, pulling out his cell phone.

"Guys! Hurry! We need to get to the clinic!" Jan Di shouted from the van.

Woo Bin and Jun Pyo got inside the van and Jun Pyo started the engine. Ji Hoo handed Yi Jung a pair of earpieces he found in the van.

"What's this for?" Yi Jung asked in confusion.

"In case you need it," Ji Hoo answer with a smile. He called Ga Eul to come out of the van.

Ga Eul was confused, but came out and stood in front of the van. "What's the matter? We have to leave right now. My appa needs a doctor," she said in panic.

"I know he does, but we also need the love potion," Ji Hoo replied. "Yi Jung is going to go find it and you're going with him."

"What?!" Yi Jung and Ga Eul cried at the same time, glaring at Ji Hoo.

Ji Hoo sighed and glanced at Ga Eul. "The sooner you gets The Pink Sparkle off of you, the safer you'll be."

Yi Jung scoffed. "Ji Hoo, she can't go with me."

"Yeah, I can't go," Ga Eul agreed.

"Why?" Ji Hoo asked.

Yi Jung anxiously began walking back and forth. "I can do this mission on my own. If she goes, she'll only be in my way. There's more of you guys here, why can't you guys also protect her?"

Woo Bin poked his head out from inside of the van. "Stop wasting time, bro and team up with Ga Eul. If Ga Eul hangs out with us, it may be a greater threat for Master Chu and his family. I'm with Ji Hoo on this. Getting The Pink Sparkle off Ga Eul is our first priority."

Yi Jung brushed his hair back and furiously kicked an invisible rock on the ground.

"Yi Jung. Ga Eul. My husband wants to talk with the both of you," Sun Yoon said through the slide door of the van.

Yi Jung and Ga Eul calmly gazed at each other and hover by the van's door. Master Chu was still in agony and looked pale and half awake, but he forced himself to lift his head up a little to talk. "Ga Eul, please. Go with him. Get the ring...off."

"Appa," Ga Eul whimper and cupped her cheeks.

"Yi Jung," Master Chu said, trying to eye contact Yi Jung. "Please...take good care of my Ga Eul." He coughed. "I don't care for the ring. Only for my Ga Eul." He coughed again and some blood flew out of his mouth. Sun Yoon wiped the blood away and cried.

"Come on, let's go!" Woo Bin said, slapping the back of the driver seat.

Jan Di quickly shove half of her body towards Ga Eul and Ga Eul reach in and hugged her. "Ga Eul, please be safe," Jan Di said.

"Jan Di, I don't to go with Yi Jung," Ga Eul cried in Jan Di's shoulder. But Jan Di released the hug and went back to tend Master Chu.

"Yi Jung, you heard the man," Ji Hoo said. He gave Yi Jung an assuring smile and closed the slide door in front of Yi Jung and Ga Eul's face.

The van reversed out of the building and Ga Eul followed it until it drove off on a grassy road. "Jan Di, please take care of my appa!" Ga Eul cried one last time when she knew for sure she wasn't going with them. She crouched down in the middle the road and quietly sobbed. She was alone with Yi Jung now and she was scared and worried.

Yi Jung wiped the dust off the remaining transportation, a Harley Davidson bike that belonged to Master Chu. He got on it and blared the engine loudly, then drove the bike out to Ga Eul. Ga Eul heard the bike approaching her, and not wanting to see the man who she'll be with, she quickly buried her face in her knees.

"If it my choice, I'd rather just let you sit there," Yi Jung said, looking away from her. "But you're going to have to go with me."

Ga Eul wiped some tears from her eyes and peeked half of her face out. "Where are we going?" she asked.

Yi Jung looked down at her. "To Las Vegas, Nevada."


	8. Law of Attraction

**AN:** SoEul is finally alone together! Can't believe it took me eight chapters to get here. LOL. Many thanks for all the readers, comments, continue support! :)

 **Chapter 8: Law Of Attraction**

The interior of the jet plane was more luxurious and spacious than Ga Eul thought. Everything was clean and tidy as if there was a maid on board. She scanned the surrounding, looking for a spot to have some privacy. Afterall, she was going to be on the same plane with Yi Jung for a half day flight. She might as well start with not seeing him as much.

The few seats facing the cockpit caught her attention. It wasn't as secluded as she wanted it to be, yet satisfying enough because it had its own personal corner. She headed there and tossed the backpack she had been wearing by the foot a leather seat, then sat down and gazed out of a window. The mumbling of the pilots communicating through the cockpit was a sign that the plane was ready to take off. The engine started and soon, the wheels lifted off the tarmac and they were finally in the air.

Ga Eul continue to gaze out of the window and watch as South Korea became smaller by the second. She felt like a bird up in the sky and never realize how small her country was. The tall buildings were now ant size, the wide Han River was just a blue string, and the green fields she once lived were similar to the patterns of a quilt.

Goodbye Seoul, she told herself. Goodbye omma and unnie. Goodbye Jan Di. Goodbye home.

She kept on watching her country until it finally became a speck of a dot behind her. She faced the wall in front of her and dropped her face into her hands. Everything was sinking in and she really was on this journey.

She began to question all the possibilities on how she could had prevented herself from being on this plane. If only she had never moved out from her hometown and went to Chung Ang University. If only she had never seen the poster with Dr. Lawlor and attended the seminar. Maybe she should had left the seminar earlier or exited out from the other lobby. If she did that, she would had never bumped into Yi Jung and picked The Pink Sparkle ring up.

Ugh. Yi Jung. Thinking of him was getting her infuriated. She should be in Japan right now. With her best friend, Jan Di. Touring the Ghibli Museum. Eating sushi and ramen at the outdoor cafes. Reading manga books at a quiet park. Watching the sunrise and sunset at Mount Fuji. All the amazing things Jan Di and her had planned. But nope. None of those happy times were nowhere in the near future. That is, if she will still have a future. The thought burned her heart and tears swell her eyes.

"Ga Eul."

The startling voice quickly made her wipe her tears and rub her nose. She glanced up towards the sound and saw Yi Jung looking down at her. He was holding a plate of sandwich and a bottle of juice.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

Ga Eul opened her mouth but before she could say anything, he pulled a tray down from the wall in front of her and tossed the drink and plate on it. "It's going to be a long flight. You should eat," he suggested.

Ga Eul bite her bottom lips, trying to keep some foul languages she was planning to throw at him. But his charming smile seem to ease her tantrum. She didn't know he had a deep dimple on his right cheek and a set of perfectly white teeth. Even his lips were moist and clean.

"Ga Eul?" he said again.

"Eh?" she responded, somewhat lost in a delusional world.

"There's more food in the back if you want seconds."

"Oh," Ga Eul replied, almost in embarrassment. For a second there, she thought he was going to say something else. Perhaps like...how she was doing? Or if he can join her?

His smile materialized into a smirk and he walked off, leaving her alone with her meal.

She touched her cheeks and it was burning. No! Wait! I'm suppose to hate Yi Jung. I can't believe his smile enchanted me, she thought.

She took her sandwich, hoping it'll help her drift to a different phase. The sandwich was fresh and the juice was cold. She assumed Yi Jung must had gotten it from the small refrigerator she saw earlier in the narrow kitchen. She was hungry and was done with her meal within a few minutes. Not wanting to leave a dirty dish in front of her, she got up with the plate and headed to the kitchen.

On the way there, she saw Yi Jung sleeping upright in a table booth three rows behind her. In front of him was a plate with bread crumbs and an empty water bottle. She shook her head with a sigh. Sometimes she can't understand how some people can be so lazy. She decided to take his plate and continued on to the kitchen.

Yi Jung laid still, relaxing on a queen size bed with only his boxer short on. His bedroom shined brightly from the sun that glowed through the white curtains of the double doors. The humid room was making him hot, so he climbed out of the bed and went to open the double doors. A fresh breeze blew in and his sweaty body instantly became cool. He stretched his arms high in the air and smiled at the sound of the crying seagulls and the ocean that roared in a distance. Beyond the beach in front of him was the blazing sun setting in the deep ocean. The beautiful sky was painted in an array of gold and purple and he couldn't think of a better place to be at for the moment. Life felt so perfect and carefree.

After enjoying the stunning sight and letting his skin soak in the sun, he flopped back in bed on his belly and buried his face in his feather pillow. His bed and silk blanket was pure white and so soft, he thought he was floating with the clouds. He couldn't help but to cheerful moan and enjoy the easy nature life was giving him. Still, there was one thing missing that can complete this circle; it was the desire for a pretty woman sitting on top of him.

There was a sudden knock at his door, which startled and made him sit up. He wasn't aware he was sharing his room with someone else. Or could it be he was the stranger to this room? He cleared his throat, ready to call out the stranger, but the door cracked open and shined a light brighter than the sunset outside. It was bleach white and burned his eyes. He wince and covered his eyes with his right arm. After a long minute, the door finally closed again and the light was gone with it. There was a sense of someone else in the room now and he lower his arm to see who it may be.

The pupil in his eyes grew wide as it narrow its target on the person in front of him. He wasn't expecting the stranger to be Ga Eul. She looked pale but with rosy cheeks and lips. Her long white dress shirt was button down to her thighs and her hair was in a bun. She giggled upon seeing Yi Jung and skipped next to the bed.

"Hello, sunbae," she said in a cute tone with a ninety degree bow.

Yi Jung swallow and was unable to speak at seeing a cheerful Ga Eul. The way how her shoulders danced up and down when she giggled or how she cupped her own cheeks and winked at him. She was so charming with her adorable smile, sexy legs, and the twinkles in her eyes. The more she acted cute, the more the blood in Yi Jung's body boiled.

She sat on the side of the bed and frowned at Yi Jung's shocking expression. "How come you won't greet me?" she asked.

The question seem to knock some sense back to Yi Jung. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck and had no idea why Ga Eul was making him feel so timid. "H-Hello," he stutter. "Hmm, what brings you here?"

Ga Eul giggled, surprised that he didn't know the answer. She scooted herself closer to him and lean in. "You brought me here, silly sunbae. You don't remember why you wanted me here?"

No, I don't, Yi Jung thought. For sure, he didn't remember inviting her. But if what she said is true, then he was very glad he had brought her.

"You wanted me to show you what kind of woman I am," Ga Eul said. She crawled onto the bed and climbed on his lap.

The very instant her naked butt touched his bare thighs, an electricity of excitement flipped on from the top of Yi Jung's head to the tip of his toes in a matter of nanoseconds. He had slept with many women of all size, age, and race. Yet none had ever turned the switch on him this fast and with this much exhilaration.

"This is the kind of woman I am," she said with a grin. She unleashed her hair bun and swayed her shiny, long head from side to side, then leaned in and kissed his red cheek.

All the blood in Yi Jung's body went rushing to a certain area in between his leg. He was getting couldn't contain himself anymore and grabbed her buttcheeks with both of his hands.

"Sunbae," Ga Eul yelped in surprise.

"Let sunbae teach you some new special skills," he whispered in her ear after lifting her closer to him.

Ga Eul giggled at how excited she was getting him. She playfully slapped his shoulder and pouted. "Sunbae, you have naughty hands," she said.

Yi Jung smirk. To him, a small pinch on her butt was nothing compare to what else his experience hands can do. He typical like to start things slow and fun, then end it rough and raunchy. But with Ga Eul, it was different and he didn't want to waste anymore time. He wanted to devour her right there and then, and show her no man in her future will ever be as good as him. He pulled her back to face him again and began ripping the buttons on her dress shirt. A naked Ga Eul is better than a clothed one.

"No sunbae, let me," Ga Eul insisted. She pushed his hands away and giggled as she tried to tear more buttons on her shirt. But something on her right hand glowed. It sparkled so brilliantly and blinded Yi Jung again.

Frustrated, Yi Jung closed his eyes and tried grabbing onto her hand, hoping he can hide the radiant light. When he found her wrist, he took a firm grip on it, but her arm was sizzling hot and burned his hand. "Ahh!" he cried in pain.

"Sunbae! Help me!" Ga Eul cried.

Yi Jung open his eyes and saw every inch of Ga Eul's body burning in flame. She was literally made out of fire with no skin in sight. Yet he was not burning and only felt a slight sting of burnt on his thighs.

She cried and begged him for help again. Yi Jung didn't know what to do and did the first thing that came in his mind. He hugged her, believing he can pull her body out of the fire. Instead, he burned along with her. His skin boiled with bubbles, then separated and melted by dripping off his body. It exposed his nerves and some of his bones. He cried and moaned in agony as the blaze grew and covered his body.

"Noo," he said.

He jumped in his seat and popped his eyes open. He was back in the plane again, all covered in sweat. The plane cruised calmly with a light fuming sound from the engine. He glanced at his hands and sighed in relieve. Everything that happen in the crazy bedroom was only a dream. Sitting up, his eyes wandered around the plane until he spotted the top of Ga Eul's head three rows ahead of him. He got and went over to her. After the horrendous dream, the best he can do is to check on her. But when he reached her, he found her asleep. Her body was tilted to one side and facing towards the window.

Hopefully, she's having a better dream than me, he thought. He smiled and went to take a cold shower.

Ga Eul yawned, and and scratched her belly. She lazily open her eyes halfway and gazed out the window. The view outside was still the blue sea. Feeling exhausted from the long flight, she tossed to face away from the window, but felt her bladder full and aching. "Oh, not now," she said out loud.

She got up half awake and went to the back of the plane, hoping to find a bathroom there. There were two unmarked doors pass the kitchen. Unsure which door was the bathroom, she tested the first door and yanked it open. It was a small bedroom with a queen size bed and a dresser. If she knew there was a bed on the plane, she could had taken advantage of it. Another frustrating thing to hate Yi Jung for; not advising her about the comfy bedroom.

She went to the next door and pulled it open. In front of her was a half naked Yi Jung.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she cried with her hands on her mouth.

She quickly tried closing the door, but the door wouldn't budge. Glancing down, she saw a string from a missing button on her blouse, caught onto the latch of the door. Filled with panic, she tried to shut the door again, but only made things worst when the string decided to make a knot inside the latch.

"No. No," she whimpered. She frantically shook the door, thinking that if it came down to it, she may have to break the door off and carry it with her to her seat.

Yi Jung had on a bath towel wrapped around his waist, covering the part where most women would love to see. He went up to Ga Eul, held the door from wiggling so much, then lean in to get a better view of the problem.

Ga Eul's eyes suddenly darted on his bare firm chest. She couldn't help it. It was right in front of her. She knew he was a muscular man, but to see up close what was hidden under his shirt excited her. His body was shimmering from the recent shower he took and her eyes followed the water that dripped from his broad shoulder to his abs. His slight six pack was even more flawless that she found herself gasping for some air. All she needed to do was reach out and slowly trace his features with her finger. He was so close that she can smell his aftershave. It was a spicy lavender fragrance and seem to be calling for her. She smiled, closed her eyes, and sniffed until his scent was deep inside her.

She felt his hand gently lifting her chin up and she instantly peered her eyes open again. His face was only a few inches from her. "Oh," she panted at how close they were.

"Ga Eul," he said in a husky yet desirable tone.

Her smile grew wider than any child on Christmas morning and his voice made her heart skipped. His face lean in closer to her and she prepare herself to lock lips with him. She closed her eyes and puckered her lips, waiting patiently for his sweet touch. But for some odd reason, his tone quickly changed.

"Ga Eul. Ga Eul!" he said.

"Eh?" Ga Eul popped her eyes open and saw an irritated Yi Jung.

"You're free now, or are you just going to stand there with those swollen lips?" Yi Jung scoffed and went back in the bathroom. He stood in front of a mirror and began combing his wet hair. "Is it normal for you to get stuck on doors?"

Ga Eul pouted, half annoyed with his rude questions and half upset that the desirable Yi Jung was only her imagination. "No, this is the first time I've been stuck on a door."

"Is it also the first time you've been smitten by seeing a man up close?"

Ga Eul can see his smirk from the reflection of the mirror. She clenched her fist and wished she had something to throw at him. "Yah! That's a personal question and none of your business," she cried.

Yi Jung chuckled as he squeezed a small hair gel onto his hand. He stared back into the mirror and used the gel to styled his hair to his liking. Ga Eul, unaware she haven't moved a muscle, stood watching. She gazed at his strong back and biceps, and imagined herself caressing them.

"If you're planning to watch the whole show, then come in. Otherwise, close the damn door," Yi Jung said.

Ga Eul scoffed, upset that Yi Jung shoved her imaginary Yi Jung back in the closet. She was about to storm off, but remembered why she there in the first place. "Excuse me, but I also need to use bathroom."

Yi Jung smirk and took his clothes that was hanging on the side of the wall. He walked past Ga Eul and paused. "I'll take the show to the bedroom next door, if you're still curious to watch."

"Yah! You!" Ga Eul cried, holding up a fist. Yi Jung laughed and went inside the bedroom.

Ga Eul decided to shower as well since she needed to cool herself down. She went back to her seat to grab her backpack and made sure the bathroom door was lock before jumping in the shower. There was no way she was going to make the same mistake as Yi Jung. Was it a mistake for him to forget to lock the door? Or did he purposely left it unlock, hoping she'll come barging in? She shook her head and hoped it wasn't the latter. It was never her intention to see him shirtless.

After a long and satisfying shower, she stepped out and wore a skinny jean with a red plaid shirt. She found Yi Jung at the same booth he took a nap at earlier. He was busy playing some kind of cards on a table. She strolled past him and went to her seat. Before sitting, she peeked at him from the corner of her eyes and saw him gazing below her waist.

"Are you the one smitten by me now?" she asked.

Yi Jung smirked and pretended he didn't hear her. "You shouldn't be taking a shower," he said instead, trying to change the subject.

Ga Eul was folding her worned clothes back in her backpack, but suddenly froze. "What? Why?"

"Because I can't afford The Pink Sparkle to get ruin," Yi Jung replied, studying the cards in front of him.

Ga Eul's mouth fell open and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, Yi Jung. I forgot The Pink Sparkle needs to stay clean while my personal health and hygiene get worst."

Yi Jung grin at her causing her to get upset. She couldn't stand the condescending look on his face anymore and quickly sat in her seat again. The Pink Sparkle glitter when she gazed at her hand. Even after the shower, the ring still spark and shine like when she first saw it on the stage with Dr. Lawlor.

Staring at the ring made her think of her father. There was never a day she thought she'll be working with him, let alone get kidnapped by his men. Being a part of his mafia was the last thing she wanted to do in her life. Yet here she was, on the plane, traveling to another country on a life or death mission. She was relieved to finally see him again, and pray that he is getting better at the clinic. But she still was had a grudge against him. Even after all these years, he was still living in his same old mafia lifestyle. To top it off, he was training some young men to do his dirty work now.

Ga Eul scoffed at the thought and peeked from the top of her seat towards Yi Jung. He was still concentrating on his card game. Watching him made her curious why a young, healthy man like him would want to work for her father. Looking for answers, she left her seat and went to his booth.

"How long have you been working for my appa?" Ga Eul asked, taking a seat across from Yi Jung at his table.

Yi Jung continued playing his card game and smirked without looking at her. "What is it to you?" he asked.

"How much does my appa regularly paying you?"

Yi Jung eyeballed her from his cards, then quietly gazed back to his game again.

"How come you and your friends decided to work for him?" Ga Eul continued to ask.

Yi Jung sat back in his seat and sighed. "I don't ask you questions about your relationship with your appa. So please don't ask me questions about my relationship with him."

Ga Eul folded her arms across her chest. "You shouldn't waste your time hurting other people or being a crook. There's no future with a life like that."

Yi Jung quietly chuckled. "Listen, I don't need to be lecture from an ahjumma."

Ga Eul quickly unfolded her arms and got out from the booth. "Yah! Don't call me an ahjumma! I'm a young, single woman. You should be referring me as 'miss' Ga Eul."

She turned to her seat and took a step forward, but his husky voice stopped her. "Miss Ga Eul," he said.

Ga Eul slowly turn to face him and saw him standing across from her. His smirk was gone and he had a worried look on his face. "My friends and I have been working for Master Chu for three years now," he said. "We do it for-"

But before he could finish his sentence, a sudden force threw him right into Ga Eul. He shoved her down to the floor and was on top of her like when they first met in the auditorium. They gazed into each other's eyes and can feel the other person's heartbeat. However, a rush of vibration shook their bodies uncontrollable.

"You jerk! Get off of me!" Ga Eul cried.

Yi Jung pulled himself up and was almost on his feet when another force thrusted him back onto the floor. This time his face landed in between Ga Eul's leg.

"Ahh!" Ga Eul kept on screaming. "Get off of me!" She kicked his chest with her knee, then grabbed a handful of his hair and tried pulling his head out of her, but gravity threw his face right back between her legs again.

The ground shook and vibrated violently like an earthquake, causing Yi Jung's head to bobbled around inside Ga Eul's legs. The plane descended up and down, and vibrated so hard, Ga Eul's chins was shaking like she had the chills. She cried at the craziness which felt like a long nightmare and prayed and wished the misery would end.

Her prayers seem to have been answer, when suddenly everything went still again and the plane was running smooth. The light engine fume and their heartbeats was the only audible sound.

"Sorry for the surprise turbulences, guys. Everything should be fine now," one of the pilot said through a speaker from the ceiling. "There should be no more turbulences after this, so feel free to relax."

Yi Jung slowly lifted his head from Ga Eul's legs and glared up at her. "Miss Ga Eul. Are you okay?" But the tears that flowed out of Ga Eul's eyes answered his question. He got on his feet and held out his hand to her. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to fall on you."

Ga Eul saw Yi Jung's hand, but ignored it and got up by herself. "Please, just leave me alone," she said. She walked off in a daze and went back to her seat.

The rest of the plane ride was calm and quiet. Yi Jung and Ga Eul never spoke again and rarely left their seats the rest of the ride. Soon, the the bright sunrise beam in their eyes through the windows and land was below them again.

"The time now is 7:45AM, Pacific Daylight Time. The temperature outside is currently 20 degrees celsius with an expected high of 37 degrees," the pilot said on the speaker. "Mr. So, Miss Chu. Welcome to Las Vegas, Nevada."

Ga Eul rubbed her eyes from a long nap and looked out the window. She wasn't sure if it was mirage she was seeing below, but Las Vegas looked like a dead city surrounded by miles of dry desert. She closed her eyes again, not ready for what may lie ahead.


	9. Treasure

**Chapter 9: Treasure**

Ga Eul sat in the passenger seat of a red convertible car with its top was on to shield her from the scorching sun above. She glanced at the rear view mirror every other minute, watching the reflection of Yi Jung talking on his cell phone by the trunk of the car. They were in the outskirts of Las Vegas with a backdrop of all the tall and fancy casino buildings to their left.

The time differences and travel from Seoul to Las Vegas was getting Ga Eul disoriented and jet lag. When they left Seoul, it was on a Saturday afternoon, and now it was Saturday morning of the same day again. Ga Eul felt like she was on a time machine, going back in time to relive the same morning. If only she was really on the machine, the one thing she would do differently was to never wear the ring. Then maybe she would be on her way to Japan with Jan Di right now.

The driver door popped open and Yi Jung climbed in. He gazed off staring at the tall buildings while Ga Eul bit her bottom lip and twirl her thumbs. They haven't spoken much since they left the plane with the turbulence incident still fresh in their minds. After the awkward silence, Yi Jung started the engine of the car and a Bruno Mars song called "Treasure" came on the stereo. It was a hippy music that would make someone want to dance to the beat, and soon help eased the tension between them.

Ga Eul glanced at Yi Jung from the corner of her eyes and saw him still staring at the buildings. "How's my appa?" she asked.

Yi Jung faced towards her yet kept his eyes on the dashboard. "He's in a coma after his surgery, but according to Ji Hoo, he's expected to recover well."

Ga Eul smiled in relief. "And how about Jan Di and the rest of the group? Are they safe and okay?"

Yi Jung nodded and drove the car off heading towards the inner city. "They're safe but still in hiding. Once Master Chu gets better, they plan to take him and his family to Mr. Kim's place. Mr. Kim's son is in a small gang who may be able to protect the Chu family." He sighed and focused on the street ahead of him. "They also haven't seen Sasha's men since the ambushed at the estate, so the guys are worried because it's too quiet, and Sasha's men are never this quiet, especially if they're after something that is worth more than their family's lives."

Ga Eul glanced at The Pink Sparkle on her hand. It was a scary feeling to have a group of killers after her, particularly one as dangerous as Sasha's group. She needed the ring off her as soon as possible. "So what's our plan?" she asked, gazing at the side of Yi Jung's face.

"Dr. Lawlor's museum is in the Luxor casino. It's where he keep all the gems he's discovered. We believe he may have the love potion on display there. And if it's there, we're going to have to find a way to steal it."

"Steal? Can't we just ask for it?"

Yi Jung glanced at Ga Eul with a grin. "Do you want to get stuck in America? Or worst, live in their state prison?"

Ga Eul shift her body to face Yi Jung. "Why would we go to prison for asking for the love potion? If Dr. Lawlor knows I have it on, I'm sure he'll be willing to help."

Yi Jung smirked with his eyes back on the street. "That ring on you was stolen. If Dr. Lawlor sees you on with it, he'll likely call the cops then you'll never see home again."

"Well, I'll just tell him that I didn't steal it and accidentally found it somewhere."

Yi Jung laughed. "Accidentally found it somewhere? You think he'll believe you?"

The laughter from him got Ga Eul upset. She sat straight and folded her arms. Yi Jung can sense her angry. Feeling a little guilty, he rubbed his cheeks, hoping it'll keep him from laughing again. "Just let me do the work and everything will be fine," he reassured her.

They arrived on the famous Las Vegas Boulevard strip and with the touch of a button by the steering wheel, Yi Jung opened the top on the convertible. The sun beamed on them and a cool breeze blew on their faces. Ga Eul took in a deep breath and was surprised at how fresh the air was. The traffic on the strip was bumper to bumper and the sidewalk was filled with hundreds of people enjoying the sight and sound that surrounded them. Ga Eul gazed up at the giant buildings that seem to touch the sky. Each casino they drove pass was unique in its own ways. Some were lavish with gold like structures while a few had an ancient or victorian formation. In between the buildings were many shops, kiosks, street shows, and a drive thru wedding chapel.

They drove into a huge, black, Egyptian like pyramid and parked in front of the premise. A valet attendant came to their car and Yi Jung got out, handing the attendant his car key.

Ga Eul grabbed her backpack and climbed out as well. "Is this Luxor?" she asked Yi Jung.

Yi Jung nodded at her and faced the valet attendant. "Do you know where Dr. Lawlor's museum is located?"

"Yes, sir," the attendant replied. "Straight through the main doors, make a left until you get to the end of the lobby. The museum is across from the Titanic Artifact Exhibition."

Titanic Artifact Exhibition? Ga Eul's eyes almost popped out of her socket. What are the odds of having Dr. Lawlor's museum next to the Titanic? she thought.

She followed Yi Jung into the main doors and was startled at what she saw inside. It was a different universal with the sound of the countless slot machines ringing and people laughing or chattering. The architecture and design on the walls and ceiling were detailed with beautiful artwork and luminous colorful lights.

They headed to their left and walked through a huge lobby with shops and restaurants at each corner. As they reach the end of the lobby, the crowd got smaller and they were able to see the entrance to the Titanic Artifact Exhibition.

"There it is," Yi Jung said, pointing to a smaller sign on his left that read, Lawlor's Treasure Museum. He smirked at Ga Eul after reading the sign. "Let's go find our treasure."

The inside of the museum was dark and small, but had numerous shelves of artificial pieces on display. Each piece was brightly lit with a lightbulb and had a short description on how Dr. Lawlor was able to discover the item. Ga Eul was amused at his finding and read every story behind his pieces. Most were of native tools and jewelries. She found herself glued to an old wooden doll that was dressed like an Amish woman. "Paranormal Abby Doll", the sign below the doll said. "Dr. Lawlor found this doll on May 18, 2001 in the same neighborhood of the Woodchester Mansion in England. It has been rumored that this doll often has a life of its own and can manipulate humans to do what it wants."

Ga Eul glanced at the doll's peachy face and in that same moment, the doll winked at her. "Omo," she gasp in horror.

She quickly took a few steps back, bumped into something, then turned around to see it was a skeleton with its jawbone hanging loose. Her lower jaw also dropped and right when she was about to scream, someone took her arm and pulled her into his chest.

"Miss Ga Eul," Yi Jung said.

Ga Eul gazed up at Yi Jung but his eyes were busy scanning the room. It suddenly stopped to his right and without looking at her, he dragged her to where his eyes were fixed at.

Behind a cube glass was the fake Pink Sparkle ring that Mr. Kim made. Yi Jung read the description below, but there was no detail about the love potion. He eyeballed the area, hoping his eyes will land on the love potion, yet everything around him were only Dr. Lawlor's other odd artifacts. Yi Jung massaged his forehead, frustrated that the love potion was nowhere to be found.

"Aish, if it's not here, then must be on him," he assumed. He saw Ga Eul staring at the ring on display, then comparing it with the one she had on. "Lower your hand. There may be cameras recording us and I don't want to make things look suspicious," he almost scowled her.

Ga Eul lower her hand. "What do we do now if we can't find the love potion here?" she asked.

"I don't know, but we're going to have to find Dr. Lawlor." Yi Jung grunted and walked off.

Ga Eul chased him towards the exit, but stopped when Yi Jung froze by the doorway. Her eyes followed his eyes to a poster on the wall. The poster had a grinning Dr. Lawlor surrounded by his most popular artifacts. Even a picture of The Pink Sparkle made an appearance on it. "Dr. Lawlor's All Women Bash! 8PM Tonight Only! Questions about my artifacts, ladies? Then come hang with me to learn all the answers and many more," the poster said.

"Many more?" Yi Jung scoffed. He studied the poster for a little longer, then a smile crept on his lips. He turned to Ga Eul. "Looks like you'll have a party to attend tonight."

"Eh!?" Ga Eul shriek. "But what if Dr. Lawlor notice The Pink Sparkle on me?"

Yi Jung smirked. "I'll figure a way to hide the ring. But for now, let's get you ready."

He dragged her arm and they headed out of the museum. They wandered on the main strip finding a women's clothing store, but each time they found one, Yi Jung never seem satisfied by the clothes on displayed in the window. They were either too casual or old fashioned for his taste. It took almost an hour when he finally grinned and pulled her inside a store that displayed a sexy undergarment and dress on some mannequin stand.

"Yi Jung, these outfits aren't my style," Ga Eul said, fighting off Yi Jung's hold on her.

"If you want answers on how to get The Pink Sparkle off of you, then you're going to have to dress nice to stand out at Dr. Lawlor's party," Yi Jung said.

A young girl with blonde hair appeared out of thin air in front of them. "Hello, my name's Gwen. How may I help you?" she asked, gazing at Yi Jung with a bright smile.

"I need the most sexy dress you can find for this lady," Yi Jung replied, facing Ga Eul.

The smile Gwen had on quickly vanished. "Oh, for your girlfriend?" she asked.

Yi Jung smirked. "Just a friend."

Her smile instantly reappeared. "Awesome!"

She took Ga Eul and showed Ga Eul some of the best dresses they offered. Most of the dresses were clingy and showed a lot of skin, yet Ga Eul still tried them on at Yi Jung's urging. Whenever she was in the dressing room, she would hear Yi Jung and Gwen flirting outside her door. But when she came out to parade her outfit, Yi Jung would go quiet and gazed up and down on her.

By the fifth dress, Ga Eul can hear Gwen giggling. The giggles filled Ga Eul's ears and she imagined Yi Jung holding Gwen on his laps as he continued tell her some dirty jokes. Ga Eul's body became tense and her blood began to boil. She wanted to storm out and punch Gwen in the mouth. Anything to shut the silly girl's laugh.

She swung the dressing room door open so hard that the door slammed against the wall with a thud. Yi Jung and Gwen froze at the sound and gazed at Ga Eul at the same time.

Ga Eul charge towards them until she was almost in their faces, then she bit her bottom lip and looked away. "I'm taking this dress," she said in English.

"Oh, girl! That dress is way too tight and red on you," Gwen said. Gwen took a pink dress off a rack. "This pink dress will cover more skin and-"

"I like how it's bright red and will show my skin," Ga Eul interrupted her. She glared at Yi Jung. "Isn't that the whole point? For me to stand out?"

Yi Jung smirked. "It's the perfect dress on you," he answer.

Ga Eul grinned at his compliment, grabbed her backpack and her previously worn clothes from the dressing room, then strolled towards the cashier counter with a swagger. She fumbled her wallet out of her backpack and almost flinched when Yi Jung tossed his credit card in front of her. "I can pay for myself," she said.

"You don't have any American cash on you," Yi Jung replied.

She opened her wallet and only saw Korean bills. "How much is the dress? I'll give you my wons for it."

"It's thirty thousand wons."

"Eh? The dress can't be that cheap." She took all of her Korean money and handed it to Yi Jung. "Here's sixty-six thousand wons. It's all I have on me right now."

Yi Jung watched Gwen charge his credit card. "Just give me the wons when we go back home. It's not handy for me to be carrying it around right now."

Ga Eul sighed and threw her money back in her wallet. "Okay, but you have to promise me that you won't buy me anything else."

"Gwen, may you get that red purse for me too?" Yi Jung asked. He pointed at a glittery Louis Vuitton purse.

Ga Eul glared at Yi Jung. "Yi Jung! I don't need a purse!"

Yi Jung smiled and held the purse towards her. "Here you go. Something to match your beautiful dress and ring."

Ga Eul frown and storm out of the store without the purse. She thought of calling for a taxi to take her back to the airport, but quickly realized she still had on The Pink Sparkle. She wandered back and forth, glancing inside the store through the glass door. Yi Jung was taking his sweet time talking with Gwen and when she saw them laughing, she was about to barge in the store again to punch Gwen. It irritated her how Gwen got to flirt with Yi Jung while he only treated her no more than friend.

Ga Eul suddenly cupped her rosy cheeks. Oh no, am I...jealous? she thought. She faced at the busy street and shook her head, trying to erase her foolish question.

"Miss Ga Eul?"

She turned around and saw Yi Jung smiling at her with a bag in his hand. His dazzling smile and deep dimple made her heart melt faster than an ice on a hot surface.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Ga Eul dropped her hands from her cheeks and tried to put on her best smile. "I'm fine," she replied.

He checked his watch. "We still got another five hours until eight." He walked up to her and held out his arm. "Come on, I know where to take you next."

Ga Eul's joyful heart seem to answer for her. She took his arm and allowed him to escort her to a nearby beauty parlor. Like at the women's clothing store, another female employee came rushing towards them and asked Yi Jung what she can do for him.

"Full service for my friend, please," Yi Jung told the employee.

"Full service?" Ga Eul asked in confusion.

Yet again, Ga Eul was swift off to the back of the parlor. The first service she received was a full body massage in a private room. It was so relaxing, she fell asleep. The massage therapist had to wake her after she took an extra half hour of nap. She was then taken to another room where she got a facial and manicure. A hairdresser guided her to the front of a mirror and styled her hair into a short layer of curls. Lastly, the beauty guru did some final makeup touches on her face and when she saw herself in the mirror again, she almost didn't recognize herself. She looked gorgeous.

"Your friend is waiting for you at the front," the beauty guru told her.

She met Yi Jung by the front entrance and almost fainted at how handsome he looked. He was in a new, lavish blue suit with a manly cologne scent, and looked fresh and clean like he had been pampered as well.

"Miss Ga Eul," Yi Jung said, gazing up and down on her with his charming smile again.

Ga Eul stood, not moving a muscle. She was hoping to hear a compliment from him so she can replica one back.

"Here's your purse," he said instead, handing her the Louis Vuitton purse again.

Ga Eul pursed her lips, a bit disappointed she didn't get her wish.

"I'm the reason why you're here. So please, just think of it as a gift from me," he said.

Ga Eul sighed and took the Louis Vuitton purse. She gazed at how beautiful it was and smiled. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me." He grinned at her when she looked up at him. "Are you ready to leave?"

Ga Eul cheerfully beamed and took his arm.

With an hour to still spare, Ga Eul thought of using the time to visit the Titanic Exhibition. However, Yi Jung led her inside a fancy restaurant where jazz was the background music and all the plates on the table were as white as pearl. They were greeted by a waiter and seated at a small round table with a lit candle in the middle.

"We haven't ate anything since the plane ride. I thought it'll be nice for us to have an early dinner together," Yi Jung said after receiving the menu book from the waiter. "Maybe we can also finish our conversation."

"What conversation?" Ga Eul asked, opening her menu book.

Yi Jung cleared his throat with his eyes still in the book. "The one before the turbulences."

Being reminded of the turbulence incident almost got Ga Eul upset again. She scanned through a list of drinks, yet her mind was stuck on his comment. "So, why do you work for my appa?"

Yi Jung closed the menu and placed it on the table. "Honestly. It's because I'm bored."

"Bored?" Ga Eul almost slam the menu book the table. "You'd rather risk your life and hurt others because you're...bored?"

"That, and it gives me a good check." Yi Jung glanced his surrounding for a second, then gazed at Ga Eul. "We don't hurt people, Miss Ga Eul. We only hurt the bad ones."

He said it with so much confident, Ga Eul rolled her eyes. "Right, only the bad ones," she repeated.

Yi Jung smirked as if he wasn't aware that she was mocking him. "I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous of you tonight. I'm always the one out there doing all the work. I'm not used to sitting and watching others have the fun."

"Well, I'll make sure to save all the action for you," she continued in her mocking tone. "What kind of work did you usually do for my appa, anyways?" She had a feeling it must be similar work her father once did when she was child, but she wanted to know for sure out from Yi Jung's mouth.

"Fraud, extortion, robbery, identity theft. The usual mobster stuff," he answer without hesitation.

"And you did those things because you were 'bored'? You shouldn't waste your life like that. You're still young and have a long future ahead. Don't you want to have a family someday? What about your wife and your children? Have you ever thought of how they will feel?"

"I have no plans to ever get marry," Yi Jung said, opening his menu book again. "I prefer to live life on the edge and never know what tomorrow may bring."

"What if there's no tomorrow?"

Yi Jung closed his book again and glanced at Ga Eul. "That's why I live each day to the fullest."

Ga Eul lower her eyes. "I'm surprised you, your friends, and appa haven't been caught yet."

"Miss Ga Eul, I know you may not be a fan of your appa, but getting to know him for the last three years, I've learn he's got a good heart. He's just so used to working in the criminal world, I think he got immune to it."

Ga Eul looked up at him. "But you and your friends shouldn't be his puppets."

Yi Jung sat up and raised his voice. "Puppets? My friends and I have been puppets for the rest of our lives until we met Master Chu. From our parents, our lifestyles, and even at Shinhwa school. We were all puppets to them."

Ga Eul wince in surprise. "Shinhwa school in Seoul?"

Yi Jung nodded once.

"Were you and your friends the popular F4 who heckled and bossed all your classmates around?"

Yi Jung sat back in his seat and darted his eyes away from Ga Eul. It was a sure confirmation to Ga Eul that her statement was true. She remember one of the jokes during the evacuation in her dormitory that the pest control men were former flower boys from Shinhwa. Her and Jan Di had laughed at that idea, and to now know the rumor was true? She scoffed. "That's the best educational school in South Korea. Thousands of Korean children wish to attend Shinhwa, and you and your friends now party everywhere and risk being a breath away from going to prison or getting killed? I can't believe you."

Yi Jung narrowed his eyebrows. "Don't patronize me. You didn't grow up with parents like ours." He brushed his hair back and folded his arms on his chest. "What about you? What are you studying at the university?"

"To become a teacher," Ga Eul boosted.

"For what grade level?"

"Kindergarten."

He unfolded his arm and smirked. "Ah, I see. I'm not surprised."

Ga Eul quietly scoffed. "Not surprised? What's that suppose to mean?"

Yi Jung slightly tilted his head to his right. "You just look like someone who can't handle adults."

Ga Eul jerk back in her seat. "Excuse me. I can handle any ages. I just prefer to handle the mature ones. Not the immature ones like you." She held up her menu book to cover her distorted enraged face.

"Aish. Calm down," Yi Jung said with a grin. "Cute girls like you have such short tempers."

If Ga Eul wasn't in a bad mood, she would had enjoyed how he called her 'cute'. But not at this moment. A moment when the only thing on her mind was slapping Yi Jung across his arrogant face.

The waiter came to their table, distracting their tense conversation, and they took their orders. Yi Jung ordered a chicken mango salad and Ga Eul asked for a filet mignon with a side of rice and steamed broccoli. They ate in silence most of the time and when they did speak, it was only about how good their food was. When they were done with their meal, Yi Jung pulled out an earpiece from his pants pocket and handed it to Ga Eul.

"I want you to wear this during the event with Dr. Lawlor. It's what we use to communicate with during a mission." Yi Jung notice how Ga Eul kept staring at the earpiece. "You put it in-"

"I know what it's for," Ga Eul cut in. She had been gazing at the earpiece because for the first time during their trip, she finally felt how real this mission was. After examining the earpiece for awhile, she placed it inside her right ear.

"Do I look like a spy?" she asked, cheerfully shrugging her shoulders up and down like she was dancing.

Yi Jung smiled at her cuteness. "Yes, the perfect spy," he replied after a long gaze at her.

Ga Eul happily beam at his respond and quickly stood from her chair, but at that same moment, her earpiece suddenly slip out. Yi Jung happen to see the earpiece falling out of her ear in a slow motion. Within a flash, he took a step forward, pulled out his hand and saved the earpiece before it can hit the ground. Everything happened so fast, Ga Eul didn't even have time to react.

Yi Jung smiled and held up the earpiece between them. "Missing something?" he asked.

Ga Eul smiled back at him and held out her hand. But her heart fluttered when Yi Jung removed some strand of her hairs to the back of her ear, then leaned in and planted the earpiece in her ear again. He slowly faced her up close that their noses almost touched.

Ga Eul wanted to thank him, but her heart was beating so fast and her mind was fogged with cheerful thoughts. She felt Yi Jung taking her right hand, then holding it up as if his next move was to get down on one knee and propose to her. "Yi Jung," she said, surprise and nervous.

Yi Jung smirked and glanced at her hand. Then from his pants pocket, he pulled out a silk red glove and slipped it on her hand. The glove was long and almost met her elbow. "Perfect. Now just make sure to not take it off," he said.

She finally realized what he was doing and took a step back. "This is your answer of hiding The Pink Sparkle?"

"Of course. What other plans did you have in mind?" He grin when Ga Eul tugged another glove from him and wore it on her left hand. From the same pocket he got the gloves, he pulled out an earpiece and wore it in his right ear. "Miss Ga Eul, I'll wait by a nearby lounge and listen in on your conversation. If you need any help, just say…" He smirked. "Sunbae."

Ga Eul blinked her eyes in confusion. "Sunbae?"

Yi Jung tapped on his earpiece. "Can you hear me through the earpiece?" he asked.

Ga Eul touched her earpiece and nodded.

They left the restaurant after paying for their meals. Yi Jung walked with Ga Eul halfway to Dr. Lawlor's museum. "Don't forget to not take off your gloves, even if Dr. Lawlor say so. Keep your earpiece in place and 'sunbae' me if you need anything."

Ga Eul bite her bottom lips and nervously glanced at the lobby towards the museum.

"You got this, right?" Yi Jung asked.

Ga Eul gave an uncomfortable smile. "I got it."

Yi Jung checked his watch. "Well, it's a little past eight." He smiled at her and gave her a little nudge. "Have fun. You're in Vegas, after all." He took Ga Eul's backpack, placed one of his hands in his pants pocket and walked off.

Ga Eul watch him disappear in a distance. She turned towards the opposite lobby, sighed, then headed to Lawlor's Treasure Museum.


	10. Dr Lawlor's Lair

**Chapter 10: Dr. Lawlor's Lair**

The museum was adorned with black and purple flowers, some brightly lit candles, and a buffet table with snacks and drinks by the entrance. All of Dr. Lawlor's artifacts were still on display, including the creepy doll and skeleton. The place was already getting packed with many women. Ga Eul was relieved that most of them were dressed similar to her. She would had been embarrassed if she had been overdressed.

"Are you in yet?"

Yi Jung's voice startled her. She had forgotten about the earpiece in her ear. "Yes," she whispered. "I'm in."

"Hello? Miss Ga Eul?"

"I'm in," Ga Eul repeated, but louder.

"You need to speak up a little. I can't hear you if you whisper."

"Can you hear me now?" she almost shouted.

"Aish, not that loud. Just a casual tone, please," Yi Jung grunted. "Anyways, have you seen Dr. Lawlor yet?"

Ga Eul scanned the place and saw a huge gathering to her left. She approach the crowd and through the shoulders of the women in front of her, she spotted Dr. Lawlor in the middle of attention. Dr. Lawlor was dressed in a lavish tuxedo. His bright blonde hair was combed back with heavy gel and his five o'clock shadow beard made him look manly.

"He's here," Ga Eul said.

She stood behind the women and listen in with them as Dr. Lawlor talked animatedly about his many adventurous stories on how he found each of his artifacts. The women laughed when he had be a joke, and moaned in sympathy when his tone was sad. Even Ga Eul fell into the act and was laughing and moaning along with the women.

For the last half hour, Yi Jung had been sitting at a nearby lounge room, drinking a glass of beer and listening to Dr. Lawlor through Ga Eul on his earpiece. Every giggle and gasp Ga Eul was making had Yi Jung rolling his eyes and fidgeting in his seat. At one point, he heard Ga Eul moan as if she just met a cute puppy. But it wasn't a puppy she met, it a was a story on how Dr. Lawlor help build a house by himself for a single mother of three children in Kenya. Yi Jung rolled his eyes so high, his eyes could had touched the stars in the sky.

Still, that wasn't the most annoying story Yi Jung heard from Dr. Lawlor. He almost tossed his beer on the floor when Ga Eul cheered for Dr. Lawlor's bravery on saving a baby giraffe from a herd of lions. This party isn't about his artifacts, it's only about boosting his ego to get points with women, Yi Jung thought.

"Miss Ga Eul," he said in his earpiece. "Miss Ga Eul?"

But Ga Eul was lost in the interesting stories from Dr. Lawlor. She kept on giggling and cheering for him. Yi Jung grunted and finished his beer in one take. Frustrated that Ga Eul wasn't paying any attention to him, he decided to look through her backpack as a revenge. He placed her backpack on his lap, unzipped the top pouch, and a bra poked out.

Yi Jung swallowed hard and his eyes grew wide and glued on her undergarment. He thought of touching it, but his mind started to spun around and his heart was beating fast. He have seen many bras in his young casanova life, but there was something about Ga Eul's bra that he can't seem to comprehend what made it special. Can be it the pink color? Or the fabric? Maybe it's the size? No, it must be the scent? Yi Jung took in a deep and soft breath and slowly inched his nose towards the bra.

"Mister?"

His eyes shot up halfway from the bra and he saw in front of him was a waitress gazing down at him.

"Would you like another glass of beer?" she asked.

Yi Jung quickly tried to zipped Ga Eul's backpack in place and tossed it on by his foot. He sat back in his seat and smiled at the waitress, unaware that the backpack had fallen to its side and half of Ga Eul's bra was sticking out from the pouch.

"Ah," the waitress gasp with her eyes fixed on the bra.

Yi Jung glared down and flinched. His right hand scooped the backpack to his lap again and he nervously shoved Ga Eul's bra back in the bag. "It's my...girlfriend's bag," he choked out. "I'm just holding it for her until she comes back from the restroom."

He gave the waitress a crooked smile and lower his eyes. Did I just call Ga Eul my girlfriend? he thought. Aish! I should've call her said my sister!

The waitress smiled and her white teeth beamed. "She's lucky to have a good boyfriend like you. A lot of American men finds it awkward to hold their ladies' bags."

Yi Jung nervously chuckled and slightly bowed.

"Would you like another beer during the wait?"

"Yes, please," he answer. He needed the beer to calm him down, anyways.

The waitress handed him a full glass of beer and he thanked her and drank a quarter of it in seconds. The cold beer eased his thoughts and he was back at concentrating on Ga Eul again. From the sound of it, it seem like the event was over and he can hear the women applauding as Dr. Lawlor thanked them for attending his party.

"I'm happy to sign autographs, take pictures, or answer any more questions you may have," Dr. Lawlor said.

Yi Jung held his earpiece closer in his ear, as if it'll help wake Ga Eul from her delusional world with Dr. Lawlor. "Miss Ga Eul?" he said.

"Yes?" Ga Eul replied.

"Are you done wiping the drool off your mouth?"

Ga Eul scoffed. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't forget what you're there for. To find out where the love potion is at."

"I know what I'm here for. You don't have to remind me," Ga Eul sternly said.

"Really? Then how come when I was trying to contact you earlier, you wouldn't answering me?"

"I'm sorry, but I was busy learning about Dr. Lawlor. The man I'm suppose to get to know so he can feel comfortable with telling me about the love potion."

"Your job is to know the whereabouts of the love potion. Not to get comfortable with him."

"Yi Jung, are you...jealous of Dr. Lawlor?" Ga Eul almost laugh.

Yi Jung pursed his lips and leaned out of his seat. "Just find out where the love potion is at, okay?"

Ga Eul grinned to herself and went to the buffet table. She decided to wait for the crowd get smaller so she can have a one on one conversation with Dr. Lawlor. She scanned the table and saw lots of good snack; from slices of red velvet cake to baby vegetables; and even meatballs and fried shrimp. Everything smell fresh and look delicious.

"Guess what I'm eating right now, Yi Jung?" Ga Eul asked.

"What?"

"A lemon macaron." She took a bite of the macaron and can taste the sweet lemon fillings melt in her mouth. "Hmm, so yummy and perfect."

"Can you guess what I'm doing right now?" Yi Jung asked.

Ga Eul quickly chewed and swallowed her macaron. She licked a crumb off her bottom lip and smirked. "Staring at a pretty woman?"

Yi Jung chuckled. "Nope. I'm looking at a picture of you when you were a kid."

"Yah! Don't look through my bag. I have personal stuff in there." Ga Eul pouted and took another bite of her macaron.

Yi Jung gazed at a photo he had found in the side pocket of Ga Eul's backpack. It was a photo of a two years old Ga Eul dressed in a white dress and sitting on her father's lap. She had on the biggest smile and Master Chu was happily gazing down on her. "I can't believe the cute little girl in this picture turned out to be a clumsy woman," Yi Jung said.

Ga Eul almost coughed her macaron out of her mouth. "You mean a beautiful woman," she corrected him.

Yi Jung smiled and placed the picture inside the pocket of his blazer. "Alright, beautiful woman. Hurry up and finish your macaron. You have work to do."

It took Ga Eul three egg rolls, five crackers with salami, a fruit tart, and a glass of champagne until the women surrounding Dr. Lawlor had finally dissipated. Ga Eul intertwined her hands by her chest and took her time walking towards Dr. Lawlor. When she noticed him eyeing her, she bit her bottom lip and awkwardly smiled at him.

"Why, hello. How are you tonight?" Dr. Lawlor said with a huge grin.

Ga Eul instinctively gave a small bow. "Hello. I'm fine," she responded.

Dr. Lawlor bowed back without leaving his eyes off Ga Eul. "I've spotted you awhile ago. Your gorgeous dress makes you glow from a mile away. I was getting worry you may be too shy to approach me, but I'm glad that wasn't the case. You look much pretty up close."

Ga Eul can hear Yi Jung snorting through her earpiece. "Thank you," she said to Dr. Lawlor. "And you look flawless in person."

Yi Jung grunted and left the lounge. Sitting and listening to Ga Eul and Dr. Lawlor compliment each other wasn't something he wanted to hear.

Dr. Lawlor chuckled and placed his right hand on his belly. "So, did you want an autograph or a picture with me?"

"Oh. Hmm. Actually I have a question."

"Great! What's your question?"

"It's about The Pink Sparkle."

Dr. Lawlor's eyes beamed up. "The Pink Sparkle? My favorite prized treasure yet. Did you know it took me over four years to find that ring?"

Ga Eul nervously smiled. "I heard that The Pink Sparkle is a magical ring, but what if...what if someone wore it?"

Dr. Lawlor's eyes became narrow. "There's only one person who can wear The Pink Sparkle, and that's In Katech's lover. If it's worn by anyone else, the ring will be stuck on their hand forever."

"Well, what will happen to that person who accidentally wore it? Will she ever be able to get it off her?"

Dr. Lawlor carefully studied Ga Eul's face, then cracked a smile again. "The only way to release the ring is through the love potion."

Love potion. Dr. Lawlor had finally spoke the two words that can end Ga Eul's misery on this mission. "Love potion? Do you know where this love potion is?" she asked.

Yi Jung stopped at the corner of Dr. Lawlor's museum and adjusted the earpiece in his ear to get a clearer sound.

"Of course I know where the love potion is. Why? Did you want to see it?"

"Yes," Yi Jung said.

"Yes!" Ga Eul repeated with a nod.

Her excitement startled Dr. Lawlor and he laughed. "After I know your name first," he said.

"Gwen," Yi Jung said. "Tell him your name is Gwen."

"No," Ga Eul replied.

"No?" Dr. Lawlor said.

Ga Eul laughed, trying to play it off as if she was joking around. "I mean, my name's Rose. Rose Cho."

"Rose Cho? Aish," Yi Jung cringed.

"Beautiful name like a beautiful red rose," Dr. Lawlor said with the same grin he had on earlier. He leaned in closer to Ga Eul and whisper. "Are you by any chance...here by yourself?"

Ga Eul bit her bottom lip and nodded.

He stood up straight again and licked his lips. "A pretty woman like you alone in Las Vegas? Come on, let me go show you where this love potion is." He held out his arm and smiled at her.

Ga Eul gazed at his arm for a while and took it.

Dr. Lawlor walked Ga Eul to the exit. "Bob, close the museum. The party's over," he told an elderly, short man by the door.

"Yes, sir," Bob answer.

Yi Jung followed Dr. Lawlor and Ga Eul like a spy. He blended himself behind huge crowds of people yet kept a close eye on the pair he was chasing. Dr. Lawlor took Ga Eul outside to the front of the casino and with a snap of a finger, a shiny blue Ferrari drove up to them. He guided Ga Eul to the passenger seat, then jogged to the driver seat.

When the Ferrari left the casino for a mere second, Yi Jung quickly got out to the same front doors and called the valet attendant for his convertible. It took almost a minute for his car to arrive and when he got in, he grunted in jealousy that it wasn't a Ferrari.

"Stay calm. I'm right behind you, Rose," he told Ga Eul through his earpiece.

It was jam packed with traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard and there was twice as many people out on the sidewalk now. It was night with a bright full moon and the city had become alive. Every casino building glowed and flashed with fluorescent lights and special effect. Still, Yi Jung didn't let any of the colorful distraction interrupt his search for the blue Ferrari. Luckily for him, it easy to spot the Ferrari. Not because it was bright blue and fancy, but because no one rarely drives an expensive car like a Ferrari. Yi Jung followed the Ferrari three cars behind and soon they left the strip, then the city.

"Where is he taking you?" Yi Jung asked Ga Eul. They were heading out into the desert.

"Where are we going?" Ga Eul asked Dr. Lawlor.

"To where the love potion is," Dr. Lawlor replied with a smile.

Ga Eul glared out the window and through the darkness, she saw hundreds of cactus in the dry open land. "It's out in the desert?"

Dr. Lawlor chuckled. "Don't worry, Rose. My home is out here." He glanced at Ga Eul and saw how worried she look. He then proceeded to talk about In Katech's love story, believing it'll help her relax. After the long tale, he asked her if she believe in soulmates.

"I think everyone in this world has a special someone. It's just a matter of going out there and finding that person," Ga Eul said.

"Is that why you're in Las Vegas? To find your soulmate?" Dr. Lawlor asked.

"I'm actually here for a business trip," she replied.

"Oh. May I ask what kind of business this is?"

She glanced down at her hands on her lap, hoping Yi Jung can help her with a clever answer, but Yi Jung remain quiet. "Ah, it's a business to learn about the city."

"I can teach you about the city. I've been living in Las Vegas for twelve years. I know all the ends and outs, and the places where no one will ever show you."

Ga Eul watched Dr. Lawlor from the corner of her eyes and she saw him smirking with his eyes on the road.

"Many visitors come to Las Vegas to have a good time but they often end up finding their soulmates here," Dr. Lawlor continued on. "Sometimes that person may not even know it, but her soulmate may be the person she have been next to recently."

Ga Eul twirl her thumbs. "Thanks for the friendly advice, Dr. Lawlor, but I don't think Las Vegas is the city where I will find my soulmate."

Dr. Lawlor chuckled. "You'll find out sooner or later if that's true or not."

They arrived at a small Spanish style home. It was shaped like a cube and only had a one car garage. Ga Eul was shocked that a handsome, wealthy man like Dr. Lawlor would lived in a shack out in the boonies. Dr. Lawlor clicked on a button on the dashboard and the garage door open. He drove the car inside and closed it with the same button when they parked.

It was dark inside the garage with only some strings of white Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. Ga Eul became tense and scared. What if Dr. Lawlor lied and has plan to harm me? she thought. She was about to say "sunbae" and call Yi Jung for help, when the car suddenly jerked and the ground below them moved. It pulled them down underground like an elevator and within seconds they appear in a new level and floor.

"Welcome to my lair," Dr. Lawlor said. He got out of the Ferrari and jogged to open Ga Eul's door.

Ga Eul slowly got out of the car with the help of Dr. Lawlor and at the second step on the floor, the lights instantly shined in waves throughout the place. Dr. Lawlor's home was a huge studio room with a spacious kitchen on the left and a vast living room on the right. The place was polished and organized like it haven't been touched in months.

"Miss Ga Eul, are you okay?" Ga Eul heard Yi Jung asking her. She watch as Dr. Lawlor headed towards the kitchen.

"I'm okay," she said. "But it looks like I'm in his basement."

"Try keeping a mental image of the surrounding. I need you to know the place well in case we have to come back later for the love potion," Yi Jung said. "I've parked nearby the house. Don't forget to 'sunbae' me if you're in danger."

"Merlot or Chardonnay?" Dr. Lawlor asked, holding two bottles of wine up.

"Don't take any drink from him. He may try to spike your drink." Yi Jung said.

Ga Eul faked a smile and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'll pass on the drink."

"Are you sure?" Dr. Lawlor asked. He popped the cork off a red wine bottle and poured a glass. "Well, you're missing out on one of the best wine in this world. This wine was made from Italy over fifty years ago. It's suppose to still be fresh." He took a drink from the glass and relish the the taste in his mouth. "Hm. Still taste as if they made it yesterday."

He gazed up and down on Ga Eul and placed his wine glass on the kitchen counter. "Are you Korean?"

"Yes," Ga Eul nodded.

"I knew it. Every Korean women I've met is beautiful." He got a remote on the counter, then pointed it to a stereo in the living room. A KPop song by Wonder Girls boomed through the speaker so loud that it had Yi Jung yanking his earpiece.

"Aish," Yi Jung cried and shook his head. He massaged his eardrums for a while and when the ringing in his ears died down, he wore the earpiece back in but only heard the Wonder Girls singing their hearts out. "Miss Ga Eul! Miss Ga Eul! Are you okay!?" he called Ga Eul through his earpiece.

But there was no answer from Ga Eul. He listen attentively and heard some mumbling through the loud music, then Ga Eul giggled and moaned Dr. Lawlor's name.

"Aish! Miss Ga Eul, what is he doing to you!? Don't let him hurt you! Don't let him-" Yi Jung cried. He furiously glared at Dr. Lawlor's house and his hands gripped the steering wheel so hard, he was about to break it loose. For the first time ever, he have never felt this hurt, worried, and jealous.


	11. Sasha

**Chapter 11: Sasha**

Yi Jung slammed his forehead onto the steering wheel and grunted. I should had done this mission. I should had dressed as a woman and gone to the party instead of Ga Eul, he fluster. Ga Eul should be sitting where I'm at, safe and unharmed. It was my job to protect her, yet she's alone with some jerk and probably having the best time of her life right now.

He called Ga Eul again through his earpiece, yet the second, third, and fourth time, Ga Eul still didn't responded. Only her giggles and moan continued to grow, and soon thereafter, static was heard on and off. Feeling anxious and on the verge of going mad, Yi Jung got out of his car and ran across the street to Dr. Lawlor's front door. He pulled and shoved on the door knob, but the door was locked in as solid as a rock.

"Aish!" he cried. He took out his pistol from his belt and shot the door knob twice. The door cracked open and he rushed inside the house, but it was dark with only the glow of the moon shining through. The place was small with nothing inside except a colorful rug on the floor and a pot of cactus on a table by the corner of the room.

Basement. Ga Eul told me she was in the basement, Yi Jung remember. He scanned the room, trying to find a door which may lead to the basement, but there was no door beside the door he had just came in from. He glanced down at the rug by his feet and began kicking the rug into a roll. The rug was heavier than he thought and he found himself sweating and huffing as he kicked. Halfway through and underneath the rug was a flat wooden door with some bright lights beaming through the cracks.

Yi Jung wiped the sweats off his forehead and lifted the door up. The bright light escalated as the door open and the room became as bright as below. There was a narrow spiral stairs leading down to the basement and he didn't hesitate and took the stairs. The lower he climbed down, the more he heard the Wonder Girls. When he reached the bottom, there was a short hall leading to a door. He approached the door and leaned his ear near it. The music was still as loud as he remembered and when he heard Ga Eul giggling, his face sizzled in anger and he lifted his pistol to his chest. If Ga Eul and Dr. Lawlor was naked on the other side of the wall, he was ready to skin Dr. Lawlor alive.

He faced the door again and kicked it with every muscle in his leg. The door flew open and he storm inside, fuming with expectation of seeing Ga Eul and Dr. Lawlor getting it on. "Miss Ga Eul!" he cried.

To his surprise, he found Ga Eul and Dr. Lawlor fully clothed, sitting on a sofa with a video game controller in their hands and a Super Mario Kart game displayed on the flat screen TV. They both turned their heads towards Yi Jung at the same time and Ga Eul instantly stood up in shock while Dr. Lawlor had a puzzled look.

Yi Jung froze in the middle of the room, dazed and confused that he was seeing was nothing like he pictured a moment ago. He lower his eyes in embarrassment and realized this was worst raid he has ever done. He pretty much sabotaged Ga Eul's mission.

After a long moment of silence, Dr. Lawlor turned the Wonder Girls song off his stereo with his remote and slowly got on off the sofa. "I'm sorry, sir. But who are you? And who's 'Miss Ga Eul'?" he asked Yi Jung.

Yi Jung glared at Dr. Lawlor and wanted to yell out 'none of your business', or even better, 'back off on Ga Eul', but instead he took off his blazer and rushed to Ga Eul. "Are you okay?" he asked Ga Eul. "Here, wear this. You must be cold."

Ga Eul wasn't cold and didn't want to wear his blazer, yet she also didn't want to make a scene in front of Dr. Lawlor. She uncomfortable wore the blazer which was big and made her look small in it. "Yi Jung, what are you doing here?" she whispered in frustration.

"You weren't answering me, so I got worried," he replied.

Ga Eul touched her ear and realize her earpiece was missing. It had fallen on the seat of the sofa. "Well, I didn't say 'sunbae', did I? So I was perfectly fine."

"How do I know for sure when all I heard was you giggling and moaning?"

Ga Eul scoffed. "Dr. Lawlor and I was playing Mario Kart and he kept on beating me. It was making me upset."

"Hmm. Rose, do you know him?" Dr. Lawlor asked, leaning into Ga Eul to distract her conversation with Yi Jung.

Ga Eul open her mouth and was about to answer, but a thunderous noise shook the room. "What is that?" she cried, covering her ears with her hands.

"I'm not sure," Dr. Lawlor holler through the noise. He glanced at Yi Jung. "What did you do?"

Yi Jung titled his head and narrow his eyebrows. He was just as lost as Dr. Lawlor and Ga Eul.

"Ahh! Yi Jung!" Ga Eul cried again, pointing at the door.

Four men dressed in gray suits with military haircuts came marching in with their guns drawn. Yi Jung aimed his pistol at them but he was a half second late. The gray suited men had already aimed their guns at him. "Drop your gun!" one of them shouted in a Russian accent.

Yi Jung had no choice but to drop his pistol on the floor. He was outnumbered and out powered, so it was pointless for a shootout now. The gray suited men quickly confiscated his pistol, then patted his body down and found a pocket knife in his pants. They took the knife, stomped and crushed his cell phone into pieces on the floor, but gave his wallet back to him after inspecting it. "You may need it, so people can identify your body later," one of men said with a chuckle.

"Hey. What's going on?! Who are you guys?!" Dr. Lawlor cried when the gray suited men patted him down as well.

"Shut up!" they screamed at Dr. Lawlor. They aimed their guns at Dr. Lawlor's face causing Dr. Lawlor to raised both of his hands high up to the ceiling.

They found nothing on Dr. Lawlor and went to Ga Eul next. Ga Eul squirm back and forth, and her eyes followed every touch they landed their hands on her body.

"Hey! Be careful where you touch her," Yi Jung said. He hover closer to Ga Eul, but one of the men shoved him back.

The gray suited men pulled Ga Eul's purse from her and tossed everything she had inside of it onto the floor. Her wallet, a lipstick, a miniature mirror, and a cell phone fell out. Ga Eul whimper when they broke her cell phone up.

When they were done, they stood in an orderly line in front of their captives and continued to aim their guns high. Suddenly, in between them, a tall man with a scar of his right cheek appeared. Ga Eul immediately recognize him as the same man she saw at Dr. Lawlor's seminar. She quietly gasp and lower her head. He still gave her the goosebumps and was more scary than anything she had ever seen. Even the paranormal doll and skeleton couldn't compete with him.

The scar face man moved to his side and right behind him stood a tall Russian woman. Her red cherry hair was long and curvy, and her attire was a black knit jacket and pants. She looked like a sophisticated woman who recently came back from an important business meeting and was only dropping by because she was bored.

She took a few steps forward and studied the three people in front of her. The right side of her mouth slowly crept up and she strolled towards Yi Jung. "Why, we meet again, Mr. So Yi Jung," she said in an alluring deep voice. "With Ryuu's help, we knew you'll follow Dr. Lawlor to Las Vegas. Thanks for leading us the way to his hideout."

Yi Jung gave an intense glare at her, but didn't say a word.

She gazed at Ga Eul, then back at Yi Jung. "I'm surprised to see you working with a...woman?" She chuckled as Yi Jung pursed his lips and looked down.

The red hair woman walked towards Ga Eul. "Hello. I'm Sasha. And you must be Ga Eul?"

Ga Eul glanced at Yi Jung, unsure if she should be answering this Sasha girl. But with no hint of help from Yi Jung, she stood up straight and answer. "I don't know any Ga Eul."

Sasha smirked. "Pull off her gloves, men."

Two of the gray suited men grabbed Ga Eul's arms from her back and Ga Eul helpless whimper, trying to fight back. "Let go me," she cried.

Yi Jung tensed his body and was about to lunge at the two men who were holding Ga Eul, but their other two companions manhandled him to the floor and held their guns at his head.

Dr. Lawlor took a step and lower his hands. "She didn't do anything wrong. This is my place, so if you have any questions-"

Sasha pointed her gun directly at Dr. Lawlor's forehead and he quickly threw his hands up again and swallowed. "You only speak when ask a question," Sasha said. She gazed at the scar face man. "Igor, pull off her gloves."

Igor stood in front Ga Eul and his large shadow covered her small body. She cried in horror and pressed her eyes together as he pulled the glove off her left hand. The four gray suited men groaned at not seeing The Pink Sparkle.

"Her other hand," Sasha shouted in frustration.

Ga Eul fidgeted and the men holding her forced her to stop from wiggling. Igor yanked the glove off and held her right hand up. The Pink Sparkle glittered throughout the room.

"Hey! Rose, how did you-" Dr. Lawlor cried.

"Shut up!" Sasha said, shoving her gun deeper into Dr. Lawlor's forehead. She smirked at Ga Eul. "It's unfortunately a pretty girl like you has The Pink Sparkle stuck on her."

Ga Eul looked down to her feet and a tear dripped from her eye to the floor. She felt doomed at knowing that Sasha and her men had her in their hold with the ring.

"Where's the love potion?" Sasha asked Dr. Lawlor.

Dr. Lawlor closed his eyes and a drop of his perspiration fell off his eyelids. "I don't-,"

"Igor!" Sasha yelled.

Igor faced Dr. Lawlor and threw a hard punch into Dr. Lawlor's stomach. Dr. Lawlor groan in agony and fell to his knees.

"Tell me!" Sasha yelled again. But Dr. Lawlor only continued to groan. "Igor!"

Igor pulled Dr. Lawlor back to his feet and swung a punch to his face. Dr. Lawlor flipped to his side and plummeted to the floor. He can feel Igor pulling him back up and he groan and spit some drool of blood from his mouth. "I have it!" he confessed at seeing Igor's huge fist. "The love potion. I have it."

"Where?" Sasha asked.

Dr. Lawlor's right eye was beginning to swell up. He nodded to a desk by the corner. "In my top draw, in a box," he replied through his heavy breathing.

"Igor, take him there," Sasha demanded.

Igor shoved and dragged Dr. Lawlor to the desk, then forced Dr. Lawlor to get the box out of the draw. Dr. Lawlor obeyed and placed a metal box on the desk. Igor lifted the lid off the box and pulled out a small glass bottle filled with pink simmering gel. The bottle was so small, it was half the size of Igor's pinky finger. He pushed Dr. Lawlor back to where he previously stood and handed the bottle to Sasha.

Sasha inspected the bottle and almost laugh. "This is barely a drop of gel," she said. Her face instantly became serious and she glared at Ga Eul. "Her hand," she ordered her men.

But Ga Eul had already lifted her right hand up before Sasha's men forced her to. Sasha smirked and grabbed Ga Eul's wrist. "You really want The Pink Sparkle off, don't you?"

Ga Eul bit her lower lip and nodded once. She remembered what Ji Hoo had said when they were at her father's garage. The earlier she gets The Pink Sparkle off, the earlier she won't be in harm's way. All she wanted right now was to no longer see Sasha and her men.

Sasha twisted the cap off the bottle and poured all the gel on Ga Eul's ring finger. The gel was like nail polish and gushed in between her finger and the ring. "Pull The Pink Sparkle off and give it to me," Sasha commanded Ga Eul.

Everyone watched attentively, even Yi Jung from the floor, as Ga Eul rubbed her ring finger and The Pink Sparkle together to gain friction. She tilted the ring back and forth and her fingers were getting muddy with the gel. For a second, The Pink Sparkle felt loose and seem to almost glide out. Ga Eul smile and tried tugging at it, but it must had been her imagination because no matter how hard she tried, The Pink Sparkle wouldn't budge.

Sasha was growing impatient and frustrated. She shoved Ga Eul's left hand away and tried pulling The Pink Sparkle off herself. After awhile, she realized the love potion wasn't working. "Is there a certain way we're suppose to use the gel?" she asked Dr. Lawlor.

Dr. Lawlor shook his head. "I don't think there's a special way to take off the ring. It should automatically come off with the gel."

"Men, find a knife. We're going to have to cut her hand off," Sasha said.

"No!" Ga Eul cried. "Maybe the gel takes time?"

"Sorry, but I don't have time to be sitting and waiting. We need to do this the quickest way."

Ga Eul glanced down at Yi Jung for help. "Yi Jung! Please!" she cried. But Yi Jung looked away. She faced Dr. Lawlor. "Dr. Lawlor, please tell Sasha that there's another way. Please!"

Dr. Lawlor's lips trembled and he opened his mouth, but no words came out. The men forced Ga Eul's right arm to stay still when she refused to follow their orders. Igor was able to find a butcher knife in the kitchen and headed back to Ga Eul.

"No! Please," Ga Eul cried at the sight of the knife.

"Do it, Igor!" Sasha said, ignoring Ga Eul's request.

Igor held up the knife high above his head. His blank and scary stare said it all. He was ready to butcher Ga Eul's hand off without a flinch. Ga Eul sobbed louder than the thunderous noise still booming in the room. She realized this may be the last time she will have a right hand.

"Stop!" Dr. Lawlor shouted. "There is another way to get The Pink Sparkle off."

Sasha pointed her gun at Dr. Lawlor's forehead again and with her other hand, gesture at Igor to halt. Igor obeyed and lower the knife. "What other way is there?" she asked.

"In Honduras," Dr. Lawlor replied.

"In Honduras? What's in Honduras?"

"Peter!" Dr. Lawlor shouted. "Peter will know of a better way to get The Pink Sparkle off her."

"And who is this Peter?"

"He's the man who helped me find The Pink Sparkle. He has all the answers for The Pink Sparkle. Please, trust me on this."

"I don't have time going to Honduras and finding this Peter." She glared at Igor. "Do it."

Igor held up the knife again and Ga Eul began to frantically sob and beg.

"The Pink Sparkle will be worth less with a chopped off hand," Yi Jung quipped. "Or do you plan to be carrying around a stinky, decompose hand?"

Yi Jung's remark surprised Sasha and Igor and they stood still, gazing at Yi Jung. Sasha smiled and commanded her men to lift Yi Jung to his feet. She leaned into Yi Jung's face and Yi Jung can smell her sweet perfume.

"And the man only speaks when he has something silly to say," she scoffed.

Yi Jung smirked and eye contacted her. "Take her Honduras and get the ring off her. You know you only want The Pink Sparkle, not her hand."

Sasha thought for a while, gazing around the room and at everyone. She smiled again and fixed her eyes on Yi Jung. "Looks like your little friend's hand is safe for the time being. But remember, Mr. So Yi Jung, you'll never get the ring over me."

She took a step back and faced everyone. "We're going to Honduras and if any of you three tries to escape or pull any silly tricks against me, expect to not see the following day. Dr. Lawlor, you're leading us the way to Peter." She pointed at the ceiling. "Take Dr. Lawlor up," she holler at her men.

The two men holding Ga Eul released Ga Eul and shoved Dr. Lawlor out the front door. Sasha turned to Ga Eul and saw Ga Eul sobbing in fear. "Miss, how close are you with Mr. So Yi Jung?"

Ga Eul wiped some tears off her eyes and cupped her left cheek. "Not that close," she said, confused.

"Do you know what kind of man he is?"

Ga Eul eyeballed Yi Jung and saw him looking away.

"He's a selfish, rich, casanova who sleeps with sexy women, then leaves them at the crack of dawn. He only cares for his needs and nothing else," Sasha said. "Don't believe that he'll save you because the very minute the ring leaves your hand, it's the only thing he'll be after. Not some girl like you. I know this not from personal experience, but from many girls who had."

Yi Jung scoffed and Sasha grinned at him. "Knowing Mr. So Yi Jung, he probably haven't told you about our relationship?" Yi Jung furiously glared at Sasha and she chuckled and glanced at Ga Eul. "I will let you ask him about it."

Ga Eul didn't know this other side of Yi Jung. She knew he enjoyed flirting with women and was charming, but to use women for pleasure and be materialized? What about this revelating relationship of his with Sasha? Wasn't Sasha the villain? Or is he helping Sasha like Ryuu? Her mind was spinning and she couldn't think straight.

Sasha gazed up and down on Ga Eul. "Do you like him?" she asked.

Ga Eul winced, confused on why Sasha would ask such a question. "No," she responded. At least, not anymore, she told herself.

"Do you trust him?"

Ga Eul shook her head. "No," she repeated in a whisper.

"Good. Men, handcuff the girl with Mr. So Yi Jung!"

"What!?" Ga Eul cried.

Igor pulled out a pair of handcuff from under his blazer and the men locked Ga Eul's left hand with Yi Jung's right hand. They shoved Yi Jung and a frighten Ga Eul out of the door and up towards a loud helicopter outside. The helicopter's blade swung so fast that it blew dirt everywhere and caused a dust storm. Ga Eul covered her mouth and tripped when some of the sand blinded her eyes.

"Move, girl!" Sasha's men yelled at her.

Yi Jung tried helping Ga Eul back on her feet, but she slapped his hands away and got up on her own. They approach the helicopter and saw Dr. Lawlor handcuffed near the front. Sasha's men pushed Ga Eul and Yi Jung towards the back and everyone got in and watched the helicopter lift off into the sky.

"Get away from me," Ga Eul said, shoving and kicking at Yi Jung. She began to sob on her knees, confused if she was more hurt or disgusted with Yi Jung. There was one thing she knew for sure though, she didn't want to be near him anymore.

"Don't tell me you believe her?" Yi Jung asked.

Ga Eul held up a fist. "Don't talk to me." She punched his shoulder at each word. "Don't. Talk. To. Me. You. Jerk!"

The last word left a bruise on Yi Jung and had some of Sasha's men laughing. Yi Jung accepted her hits and allowed her to continued until she got worn out. She slumped away from Yi Jung and weeped on her knees again. The long, horrendous day was too much for her. She had never been this afraid and alone before. All she wanted to do was go home and be with her mother and sister. But even then, she wasn't certain if that may ever happen again.


	12. Kung Fu Jan Di

**AN:** Hello readers. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, I'll be spending time with my family and thought I should give this story a short break. So, there will be no new chapter until the first week of December. Just a one week hiatus, so don't worry. :) Even if you may not celebrate Thanksgiving in your country, I hope you are still thankful for the good things around you (like having internet to read fanfics). I'm very thankful for my family, friends, your support, and of course SoEul, because if it wasn't for them, I would had never known my creativity with writing these fanfics. :P

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 **Chapter 12: Kung Fu Jan Di**

Ji Hoo sat in a row of chairs in the hallway of his grandfather's clinic. He gazed at his cell phone, checking to make sure he didn't miss a call, and took in a deep sigh at how quiet it was. His legs were folded and his loose foot wiggled. He was glad Master Chu had been breathing on his own for the last two hours, yet was worried for Yi Jung and Ga Eul.

"Still no words from him yet?" Woo Bin asked, strolling towards Ji Hoo in the narrow hall.

Ji Hoo somberly checked his phone again. "It's not normal for Yi Jung to go this long without letting us know his whereabouts. I've been trying to contact him since Master Chu gain conscious, but he still haven't responded."

Woo Bin sat in the chair beside Ji Hoo and folded his arms. "I knew I should had gone with that fool." He shook his head, frustrated at himself. "What do you think may had happen? Do you think Dr. Lawlor found out that Ga Eul had the ring? Why is he even called a doctor when all he does is dig up stuff?"

Ji Hoo quietly sigh. "I don't think Dr. Lawlor has anything to do with Yi Jung and Ga Eul's whereabouts."

Woo Bin blinked his eyes twice and gave Ji Hoo a confused stare. "Do you think Sasha got to them?"

Ji Hoo eye contacted Woo Bin and slowly nodded.

"Aish. But how would Sasha know where they're at?" Woo Bin got out of his seat and paced himself back and forth in front of Ji Hoo. He brushed the side of his hair with his right hand, then froze to look down at Ji Hoo. "Do you think Ryuu told her men about Ga Eul? He probably saw Ga Eul wearing the ring when we brought her to see Master Chu." He scoffed and slapped his thigh. "I always knew there was something off with that guy. Good thing Yi Jung killed him."

The murmuring of some voices nearby surprised them and Woo Bin quickly sat down in his seat again. "Look at those two love birds," Woo Bin whisper and chuckled.

At the end of the hall in front of Master Chu's room was Jun Pyo and Jan Di. They were facing each other and talking anxiously about a certain topic. Jun Pyo had his hands placed at the side of his hips while Jan Di cupped her hands together by her chest. After a short conversation, Jan Di threw her hands by her side and stormed towards Woo Bin and Ji Hoo. The two men at the chairs sat up straight and pretended they didn't see her coming.

"Yah. Why haven't you guys heard back from Yi Jung? Is Ga Eul okay? I need to know," Jan Di said.

Ji Hoo unfolded his legs and cleared his throat. "As long as Ga Eul is with Yi Jung, she should be safe," he reassured her.

Jan Di clenched her hands into a fist. "How am I supposed to trust that pervert with my best friend? If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be in this mess right now."

Jun Pyo approached Jan Di from behind. "Jan Di, you have no choice but to trust Yi Jung. If we didn't trust him, we wouldn't had let him go alone with Ga Eul to Las Vegas."

Jan Di glared Jun Pyo. "What? They're in Las Vegas? Well, that's just great. Ga Eul's stuck with a pervert in sin city."

A sudden loud knock at the front door startled them. Jan Di hover behind Jun Pyo and Woo Bin and Ji Hoo stood up from their chairs. They gazed at the direction where the sound was coming from and the F3 men took out their guns from the belts.

"It must be my son," Mr. Kim said, walking out of Master Chu's room.

They weren't expecting Mr. Kim's eldest child, Sung Ki, and his gang of men to arrive this early. Ji Hoo had just talked with Sung Ki no more than half an hour ago, so they were cautious at who may be at the door. They walked down the hall to the waiting room where the banging was still occurring, and Woo Bin and Ji Hoo headed towards the door alone. Woo Bin peeked through the small door scope and saw Sung Ki, a muscular man with a light goatee, and six men standing behind him. Woo Bin nodded at Ji Hoo and Ji Hoo called Mr. Kim over to open the door.

Mr. Kim rushed to the door, unlocked it, then carefully opened it to fit his face. "Sung Ki?" he called to his son.

"Appa. Appa, are you okay? How's Mr. Chu?" Sung Ki replied.

Woo Bin appear behind Mr. Kim and studied the men's faces. He recognized each of them since the F4 men usually worked alongside Sung Ki's gang in needed times. Two of the men were the same built as Sung Ki while the rest were either more plump or younger. "Is it only you guys?" Woo Bin asked.

Sung Ki glanced behind him and nodded. "As far as I've known, Woo Bin, there's always been only seven of us," he answer.

Woo Bin pulled the door open and allowed Sung Ki and his gang to enter. When the men settled inside and the doors were locked again, Sung Ki told the F3 how worried he got when he heard the news about the danger his father and Master Chu were in.

"I had to get here right away, especially when I heard Sasha was involved," Sung Ki said. He scanned the room and notice someone was missing. "So, the casanova isn't here, huh? Is he out finding the precious ring?"

Woo Bin smirked. "You know he'll rather be out there than sitting in here."

Ji Hoo's grandfather emerged into the room still wearing his white doctor's coat. He eyeballed Woo Bin and Ji Hoo without acknowledging the other men. "Excuse me, but Mr. Chu wants to see you guys."

Everyone, except Sung Ki's men, gathered around Master Chu's bed. Master Chu was fully awake, holding his wife and daughter's hands. His bed was adjusted to have made him sit up and his left arm was in an arm sling. He beamed his eyes at the familiar faces, then coughed and grimaced in pain. "Where's Ga Eul?" he asked through his breath.

"Master Chu, the last time we heard from Yi Jung, Ga Eul and him were on a mission to find the love potion in Dr. Lawlor's museum," Jun Pyo replied.

"And?" Master Chu puffed.

"And since then, we haven't heard from them," Ji Hoo responded, looking down to his feet.

Master Chu grunted and coughed. "Then what are you boys still doing here? Go to Las Vegas and find Yi Jung and Ga Eul before Sasha does. I don't want that woman to get close to my daughter."

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo glanced at each other, but kept quiet and bowed along with Jun Pyo at Master Chu's request.

"We wanted to make sure Sung Ki was here to protect your family before we left," Jun Pyo said.

Sung Ki took a step forward and bowed at Master Chu. "You can guarantee my men and I will keep you safe, Mr. Chu."

Master Chu gave a small nod. "I trust you as much as I trust your appa." He gravely smiled at his wife, then curiously glanced back at Sung Ki. "Sung Ki, can your cargo plane still fly?"

"My plane's not as modern or as fast as yours, but it can still fly fine, sir," Sung Ki answer.

Master Chu's smile grew. "Perfect. Boys, take Sung Ki's cargo plane to Las Vegas."

The F3 bowed again and turned towards the door.

"Wait," Master Chu said with a cough. He pointed at his clothes at a nearby chair and his wife brought them over to him. "Out of all the missions you boys had done for me, I wish this is the one I can do with you guys. Unfortunately, I'm not in the right condition to do so." He sighed loudly and the heart rate at a machine beeped fast for a second. He yanked out a gold key from his pants pocket and tossed it at Jun Pyo. "Take that key and go back at my estate. In my bedroom closet, there's a small locked door behind my wife's clothes. If you open that door, it'll lead you to more weapon supplies. Take as many weapon as you need. I want you boys back safe with Ga Eul and Yi Jung."

Jun Pyo sharply bowed and held the key up high with a grin. "We'll be back with Ga Eul before you get out of bed," he said.

"Do you guys need any assistance? I can tell some of my men to go with you guys," Sung Ki said to the F3 men.

The men gazed at each and their eyes seem to be in agreement. "Maybe just a pilot to fly us to Las Vegas," Woo Bin replied.

"I'll contact Chang Hoon, then," Sung Ki said. "He's my best pilot."

The men gave a short farewell bow at the remaining men in the room and walked out with Jan Di trailing close behind them. "I'm going with you guys too," Jan Di holler at them.

The men stood still and glared at Jan Di. "I think it's best if you stay," Ji Hoo suggested. "My grandfather may need your assistant."

"Master Chu's getting better and doesn't need my care anymore," Jan Di argued. "Ga Eul, on the other hand, is in another country with a perverted man and The Pink Sparkle. I have to go and make sure she's safe."

Jun Pyo scoffed. "Fine. If you want to go, then you're going to have to stay close to me."

Jun Pyo pulled Jan Di's wrist towards the front door and Jan Di whimper and protest at his force. Woo Bin and Ji Hoo gave one another an irritated glance and chased the pair out of the door.

They took the black van to Master Chu's estate and turned their headlights off when they arrived. Ji Hoo got on the computer and tried logging into the surveillance cameras inside the estate, but the monitors screens were coming out blank.

"It looks like Sasha's men destroyed the cameras. I can't get any footages inside the estate," Ji Hoo said.

"Well, we're just going to have to watch our backs," Woo Bin replied confidently from the driver seat. He parked the van under a tree and a block away from the estate.

"Aish," Jun Pyo grunted. "Jan Di, you're going to have to wait for us inside the van. We'll be back in fifteen minutes with the weapon supplies."

Jan Di pouted. "I wasn't planning to join you guys just to sit around. I'm going inside too."

Jun Pyo rolled his eyes, grabbed a duffle bag, and slide the side door open. They got out quietly, ran across the street towards the estate, and hid behind a brick wall by the entrance of the gate. They peeked at the big house and saw no lights on. Everything was calm with only the chirping sound of the crickets. The men nodded at each other and crouched down as they ran towards the house with Jan Di in between them.

"Oh," Jan Di cried and covered her mouth.

Nearby was one of Master Chu's men. The man was dead on the ground with a gunshot wound on his forehead. His face was dried with thick blood and hundreds of flies were buzzing and hatching eggs on his body. Seeing the man up close almost had Jan Di vomiting the lunch she had earlier in the day.

They reached the front door and saw it was slightly open. Woo Bin pulled out a small flashlight from his blazer and headed inside first with his gun drawn ahead of him. After a few minutes, he poked his head through the door and nodded at Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo that the coast was clear.

It was dim inside the house yet they can see the mess that Sasha's men had left behind. Papers, books, and broken picture frames were scattered throughout the floor. Each step they took crackled with noises of papers or broken glasses. They flashed at every corner and continued down a hall and up the stairs to the second story.

When they found Master Chu's bedroom, they were surprise at how small it was. It was half the size of his office and bunker. There was a king size bed in the middle of the room and many dressers at both end of the walls. Some of the dresser had been broken into with clothes hanging halfway out.

"Come on, let's just get what we need and go," Jun Pyo whisper.

Woo Bin nodded. "Right. I'll stand guard by the door. You and Ji Hoo can go get the weapons."

"Jan Di, stay put of where you're at," Jun Pyo ordered Jan Di.

Jan Di opened her mouth and was about to say something, but when she saw Jun Pyo's angry glare, she pouted and decided it was best to remain quiet.

It didn't take long for Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo to find Master Chu's hidden door in the walk-in closet. The rusty, old door blended in well with the same floral wallpaper Sun Yoon must had decorated with. The door knob for the door was also missing with only a keyhole making a small appearance. Jun Pyo pulled the gold key out from his pants pocket and unlock the door. A mass of dust flew at them when they swung the door wide open. It was pitch black in the hidden room until Ji Hoo found a light switch and flipped it on. A yellow light bulb buzzed and glowed in the middle of the room. It shined on rows and rows of shotguns, pistols, knives and many ammunition.

"Jackpot," Jun Pyo said, glancing over at a smiling Ji Hoo. He tossed his duffle bag in the middle of the floor and Ji Hoo and him didn't waste time. They grabbed every weapon they thought was useful and placed it all inside the duffle bag.

Jan Di can hear Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo cheerfully trying out each weapon they had their hands on. She went to the walk-in closet and stretched her neck as long as an ostrich, hoping to get a better peek at all of their commotion. But when she took a step closer inside the closet, a small squeak on the floor scared her. She jumped and ran back to where she had previously been standing.

After seven long minutes, Jan Di was getting bored and impatient. She occupied herself by inspecting some of Sun Yoon's dresses on the floor. Each dress she found were fancy and expensive. Poor Sun Yoon, Jan Di thought. Looks like Master Chu will have to buy her a new wardrobe.

She walked to one of Sun Yoon's dressers and accidentally kicked an empty glass vase. The vase rolled loudly until it slammed against the wall with a thud. Woo Bin glared at her from the bedroom door and she can tell he wasn't happy. "Sorry," she said, covering her mouth.

Still feeling bored after looking through the dresser, a rocking chair near the bedroom door caught her attention. Being a mother was always something she have been curious about, so she decided to sit on the chair and imagine herself as Sun Yoon. The chair was comfortable and fitted her perfectly. She began rocking herself with her feet. Back and forth. Back and forth, the chair swung. The rhythm of the chair was smooth and relaxing, and this was something she can get use to, even if she wasn't a mother. She closed her eyes and daydreamed of sitting in the same rocking chair, but in the front porch of a big house. The sun will warm her skin and the birds will be singing in harmony. Maybe she'll be waiting for her child to come home from school? Yes, this was an excellent dream. One she wish would happen in the near future.

However, a loud crack broke her fantasy. She bursted her eyes open and the next thing she knew, she was flying down the broken chair with her butt crashing hard on the floor.

"Shh!" Woo Bin whispered loudly, glaring at her. He shook his head in annoyance and went over to Jan Di. "You okay?"

Jan Di softly groan in pain and massaged her lower back. "I'm okay," she lied.

Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo came out of the closet from hearing the noise. When they saw Jan Di still sitting on the floor, Jun Pyo laughed and Ji Hoo grinned.

"Can't you stay still?" Jun Pyo said.

Jan Di took Woo Bin's helping hands and got on her feet. Her cheeks were flushed in red and she faced away from Jun Pyo. "Yah, shut up and go back in your room," she cried.

Woo Bin chuckled and went back to guard the door. He flashed the hallway with his flashlight, but a new sound startled him. "Yo. I think I hear something," he whispered loudly.

Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo immediately stood up straight and gazed at Woo Bin. Woo Bin's ears perked and he can hear some movements coming from the stairway. "Aish. I think we have company. It sounds like they're coming up here," he said.

"Hide in the weapon room," Jun Pyo said.

They raced to the weapon room and the men switched the lights off and closed the door. Everything was silent again except the sound of their heavy breathing. They listened careful and soon heard some footsteps creaking by the bedroom door. The footsteps grew more heavy and the mumbles of some men were audible. A noise by the closet door squeaked, and Jan Di knew whoever that was out there was only a few feet from their hideout. She covered her mouth and tried her best to not whimper.

The F3 men stood in position and had their guns loaded and ready. They also seem well aware that the strangers were approaching their room. When the footsteps stopped in front of their door, they held up their guns and was ready for a shootout.

The door was suddenly kicked open and a man in a gray suit stood by entrance. He pointed his gun at the F3 men, but Woo Bin was quicker and shot him right in his throat. The man didn't even have time to react and slumped to the ground holding his neck. Blood streamed out of his hands and down his body and he instantly died in a matter of seconds.

However, there was still another man a few feet next to his now deceased partner. That man sprint off and the F3 men quickly chased him down.

"Don't let him get away!" Jun Pyo yelled.

Woo Bin was the closest to the man and he chased the man out of Master Chu's bedroom and down the hall. The man was smaller than most of Sasha's men and was easy for Woo Bin to catch up to. Woo Bin grunted and swiftly tackled the man from the back, then ruffled him face first onto the floor.

"You can't get away from me, man!" Woo Bin holler. He sat on top of the man and pointed his gun at the man's head. "Keep moving and you'll see your buddy in hell soon."

Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo approached Woo Bin and Jun Pyo got down on one knee. "Are you the only one left?" Jun Pyo asked, glaring at the man on the floor.

Instead of answering Jun Pyo, the man spit a slopper of his blood at Jun Pyo's feet.

"Aish!" Woo Bin cried. He smacked the man right in the face. "Speak!"

The man laid his forehead flat on the floor and laughed. "Kill me," he said in a heavy Russian accent.

Jun Pyo furiously grunted. "Take him to the bathroom."

Woo Bin smirked and lifted the man up with Ji Hoo's help. They twisted the man's arms to his back and the man grimaced. "Walk," Woo Bin ordered.

The man walked as Woo Bin and Ji Hoo continued to twist his arms harder. They went to the nearest bathroom and forced the man onto his knees in front of a toilet.

"So let's do a test and find out what will happen if you don't answer our questions," Woo Bin said with a grin.

While Ji Hoo held a good grip on the man's arms, Woo Bin shoved the man's head into the bowl of water inside the toilet. The man gobbled in the water and frantically shook his body. After five seconds, Woo Bin pulled his head out. The man huffed and coughed as water trickled down his face.

Jun Pyo smiled and squatted down to face the man. "Looks like no one has come up here to help you yet. Are you the only one here?" Jun Pyo asked.

The man remained quiet forcing Woo Bin to shove his head back inside the toilet. He spent a little longer in the water the second time around, and when Woo Bin pulled his head back for air, he finally decided to answer. "One more. One more person left," he mutter.

Jan Di had been standing by the bathroom door, listening in on the conversation. She felt a dark shadow nearby and curiously turned her head to see what it may be. Out of nowhere, a gray suited man who was about her size shoved her into his arms and covered her mouth. Jan Di wailed and squirm and the F3 men glared at her and the new suspect.

The new man had his gun at the temple of Jan Di's head. "Let Yaromir go or I shoot girl," he said in broken English.

The F3 men glanced at each other, communicating with their eye for confirmation that they'll need to make a move or else things may get ugly. But suddenly, to their surprise, Jan Di cried out a loud kung fu vocal.

"Yaaa!" Jan Di shouted. She turned to face the man who was holding her, then grabbed the wrist he was holding the gun with, and kicked him in between his legs as hard as she can.

The man fell onto his knees, moaning and covering his groin. Jun Pyo came running towards them, but Jan Di had somehow already stolen the gun from the man. When the man notice Jan Di with his gun, he tried snatching it from her, but she screamed and without much knowledge on how to use a gun, she accidentally clicked on the trigger and shot the man point blank in the middle of his forehead.

The world became still for the next few seconds except the ringing echo of the gunshot sound. No one moved and watched as the man Jan Di had shot slowly gazed at her, then stiffly fell to the ground face first.

"Aigoo!" Jan Di cried, breaking the silence.

"Give me the gun," Jun Pyo said, gently stealing the gun from Jan Di before she may shoot him as well.

Jan Di whimper and trembled in shock. She couldn't believe she just killed a human being. "Jun Pyo," she sobbed.

Jun Pyo took Jan Di into his arms and the pair hugged in comfort. "Don't worry. You were just defending yourself," Jun Pyo said.

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo twisted the arms tighter of the man still in their hold. The man cried at the pain and fidgeted. "Yaromir, right? Was he the man you mention that was the only one left?" Ji Hoo asked.

Yaromir nodded and winced.

"Then you better answer our questions or you'll end up like him," Woo Bin said.

"Now, where's the rest of your other friends? Where's Sasha?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Answer!" Woo Bin said. Woo Bin pushed Yaromir closer to the toilet and was more than happy to shove him back in it again.

"Not here. Not here," Yaromir said in panic.

"Then where are they?" Ji Hoo asked.

Yaromir swallowed some chunk of his blood. "They were in Las Vegas."

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo glanced at each other. "What were they doing in Las Vegas?" Woo Bin demanded to know.

"Chasing Yi Jung and The Pink Sparkle girl."

"Does Sasha have Yi Jung and Ga Eul?" Ji Hoo asked. He jerked Yaromir's arms so hard, Yaromir almost peed in his pants. "Does Sasha have Yi Jung and Ga Eul with her?" he asked again more frustrated.

Yaromir nodded. "Yes. They are with Sasha," he weeped at his confession.

"You said they 'were' in Las Vegas? So where are they now?" Woo Bin continued to question him.

"I don't know," Yaromir replied.

Woo Bin tossed Yaromir's head back inside the toilet and Yaromir shook and shaked his body as if he was on the verge of dying. "Where are our friends?" Woo Bin asked after lifting Yaromir's head out.

Yaromir was restless and had trouble catching his breath. He couldn't comprehend if he should swallow or spit the water he almost drown in. Before he knew it, Woo Bin was about to shove his head back in the toilet again. "Wait!" he cried. "Wait!"

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo glared at him, waiting impatiently to see if he'll answer. "They're going to Honduras," Yaromir said.

"Honduras?" Jun Pyo asked, dumbfounded and releasing Jan Di from his grip. "Why are they going there?"

"Taking The Pink Sparkle girl to get the ring off her," Yaromir replied.

"They couldn't find the love potion in Las Vegas?" Ji Hoo asked.

Yaromir coughed and huffed. "They did, but the love potion didn't work. Dr. Lawlor said he has a friend in Honduras who can get the ring off."

"What if you're telling us is a lie?" Woo Bin said. He yanked Yaromir closer to the toilet again.

"No!" Yaromir cried. "It's not a lie! My partners and I just got done talking with some of the other men who are with Sasha right now. They told us all the details."

The F3 men gave a silent glare at one another, then nodded. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin lifted Yaromir back on his feet yet still held his arms tightly behind his back. "In that case, you're going with us to Honduras. We need someone to always keep us in contact with Sasha," Ji Hoo said.

"Call your buddies again and ask them for their exact location. If you give any hints that we're with you, it's toilet time," Woo Bin grin.

"Where's Honduras?" Jan Di asked, following the men out of the bathroom.

"It's in Central America," Ji Hoo answer. "Maybe you shouldn't go with us to that country."

Jan Di frowned. "Why?"

"Honduras has one of the highest murder rates in the world," Ji Hoo replied.

"Murderous country or not, no one is going to stop me from helping Ga Eul. I can take on any of those men," Jan Di said. She stood up tall, boosted her chin high and walked off in a swagger.

The F3 men grinned, remembering how Jan Di had just taken out one of Sasha's men by herself just a few minutes ago. They took Yaromir to Master Chu's bedroom and was able to find some handcuffs from the weapon room. After handcuffing Yaromir, Jun Pyo took Yaromir's cell phone and dialed a number Yaromir claimed was his mafia partners. Jun Pyo held the phone by Yaromir's ear and after a brief time, Yaromir was done with the conversation.

"There is a tropical storm heading to Honduras, so they are going to land in Guatemala instead. Then they will take a ride into Honduras," Yaromir said when Jun Pyo closed the phone.

Jun Pyo faced Woo Bin, Ji Hoo, and Jan Di. "Any of you guys know how to speak Spanish?"


	13. The Bridge to Honduras

**AN:** Hi readers! My apologies for the late delay on posting this chapter. Due to continued real life distraction, I'll only be posting a new chapter once a week now (it was previously two). Thanks for the patient, support, and comments. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 13: The Bridge to** **Honduras**

The ride from Las Vegas to Guatemala was the most bumpiest plane ride Ga Eul had ever been on. Each time a gust came through, the small plane would shake harder than the turbulence she experienced on her father's plane. She was glad she was already sitting and buckled in a seat. At least this way, Yi Jung can't tumble down on her again. Yet she was upset that they were still handcuffed together. Her grudge against him was still as strong as when they left Dr. Lawlor's place.

The plane shook again as it descent lower to land. Ga Eul held on tight to the armchair and can feel Yi Jung's arm brushing against her. She had learned not to pull her arm away from him because whenever she did, his attached arm would come flying towards her thigh. Instead, she kept her hands still and gazed out the window, curious to learn what this new country may look like, but all she saw below was mountains after mountains of green field.

"Igor, the lights over there," Sasha said to the man flying the plane. Sasha was seated behind Igor and watched him attentively as he controlled the steering wheel.

Igor eyed the dotted lights of an airport runway miles ahead. It was the smallest runway he has ever seen. Without a wince and a blank expression, he aimed the plane towards the runway and lower the plane with force. The plane shook harder as it fought against the unexpected weather.

Ga Eul glanced out the window again and saw the top of hundreds of trees a few feet below. Each tree wave and blew side by side due to the rapid wind. Her window freckled with tiny raindrops and soon fogged up from the steam of her warm breath.

"Boys! Sit down!" Sasha cried at some her men who were either standing or leaning against their seats.

The plane suddenly jerked and the unseated men leaped in the air. One of them was so tall, the top of his head crashed into the ceiling. His nearby friends laughed and belittled him while they each took their seat. The injured man rubbed his head and quickly sat down with a grunt.

Igor grip tightly to the steering wheel as it jumble around. His eyes narrowed when they approach closer to the runway and he eased up on the steering wheel by pulling it back, then gently stepped on the brake with his right foot. The wheels on the landing gear popped out and at first, the left wheel only touched the runway. It bobbled for a few seconds until finally the right wheel touched land and balanced the plane back in place.

"Are you okay, Miss Ga Eul?" Yi Jung finally spoke.

Ga Eul had closed her eyes most of the flight down, deep in a prayer that today wasn't her last day to live. She peered her eyes open, surprise at Yi Jung's sudden question. Not wanting to show much interest in him, she pursed her lips and sat up straight. "I'm perfectly fine," she responded, looking out the window.

The plane finally settled still and Sasha and her men stood up at the same time. "Dr. Lawlor, you speak Spanish, right?" Sasha asked, glaring down at Dr. Lawlor who sat behind her.

Dr. Lawlor sighed and nodded. "Si," he answered yes in Spanish.

Sasha smirked. "Boris, Voris, you two take Dr. Lawlor out first to find us a taxi," she commanded.

Boris and Voris, who were brothers, went over to Dr. Lawlor and gesture him to get up. Dr. Lawlor sighed again and left the plane with the two brothers.

"When they find us a taxi, we ride to Honduras," Sasha said. She went over to Ga Eul and Yi Jung and smiled at them. "Mr. So Yi Jung, are you taking good care of my Pink Sparkle ring?"

Yi Jung gave a distorted and angry glare at her and she chuckled and glanced at Ga Eul. "Have Yi Jung told you about our relationship yet?"

Ga Eul gazed at Yi Jung and saw him staring at the seat in front of him. "I don't care to know the story between you two," Ga Eul replied. She bit her bottom lip and held up her handcuffed hand high. "May you please take off our handcuffs?" she requested.

"I prefer it on. Mr. So Yi Jung should be attach to a woman who despite him," Sasha answer, still smiling.

"Sasha!" Boris yelled from the entrance of the plane.

Sasha shot her head at Boris and he nodded at her. "Okay! Let's go, love birds," she hollered at Yi Jung and Ga Eul.

It was suppose to be daylight outside, but the dark clouds and wind made it look otherwise. A huge gust blew past them when they were in the open runway. Ga Eul had wished her hand would had slipped out of the handcuff and perhaps, if she was lucky, she could had flown away with the wind and fly back home to Seoul like a bird. Unfortunately, with her luck lately, she knew it wasn't going to happen. She limped in her high heels and her legs shivered. If it wasn't for Yi Jung's blazer, her whole body would had froze.

They walked towards a pickup truck and Sasha's men didn't waste time getting in to stay warm. They squeezed themselves into the bed of the covered cap trunk. "Get in," Sasha ordered Dr. Lawlor, Yi Jung and Ga Eul.

Dr. Lawlor crawled in and realized there was only enough space for one remaining person. He held out his hands at Ga Eul and smiled. "You can sit on my lap, Rose," he said.

Ga Eul smiled at Dr. Lawlor's kind gesture. In a way, he was still Leonardo DiCaprio to her. The amazing actor who played Jack Dawson in Titanic. She reached for his hands but was startled when out of nowhere, Yi Jung yanked her hand back. Yi Jung climbed into the cab, sat down, then without a word, lifted Ga Eul in by her waist and placed her onto his lap like she was a toddler.

Ga Eul shrieked when her bottom landed on his thighs. "Yah, what are you doing?" she asked.

"You're handcuffed to me. So you should sit with me," Yi Jung replied, half gazing at Dr. Lawlor.

The proximity with Yi Jung made Ga Eul uncomfortable. She stiffened her body and shyly hid her face in the blazer.

Sasha smirked at Yi Jung and closed the back cab door. She headed towards the front seat with Igor and met a Guatemalan man at the driver seat. "How far is the Honduras border from here?" she asked to the driver.

The driver held up three fingers. "Three hours," he replied.

"You get us there in two hours, I pay double," she said.

The engine of the truck started and took off onto a dirt path road taking them deep into the forest. Like a boat, the truck swayed back and forth. It was low to the ground because of the many bodies it was carrying and squeaked and jumped at every pothole it hit.

Ga Eul was getting use to all the crazy rides, so the truck ride didn't bother her as much. The long day was also draining her down and she began to doze off. She snuggled deeper into the blazer and instantly fell asleep.

A big bump on the road forced her head to popped out of the blazer and she felt a warm surface against her cheek. She smiled at the comfort with her eyes still shut, and snuggled in closer to the warm object. Through the sound of the howling wind, squealing tires, and loud snores from Dr. Lawlor and Sasha's men, was a new sound next to her ear. She can hear it thumping like a beating drum and it reminded her of the times when she would get nervous or scared. Her smile suddenly went away and she slowly open her eyes. She knew the sound well now. It was the sound of someone's heart. She quickly sat up straight and saw a sleeping Yi Jung with his head knocked back against the glass window.

Surprised that the hot object was Yi Jung, she thought of scooting herself further from him. She was supposed to be disgusted with him for being the pervert Jan Di had predicted him to be or the dishonesty Sasha claimed he still is. Yet she couldn't move her stiff body and sat gazing at his handsome face. How can a charming man be such a bad man? she thought.

The truck jerked to a complete stop and Sasha's men woke up. They cried out a few foul Russian words at the driver, upset at him for forcing them up from their beauty sleeps. Dr. Lawlor, on the other hand, was still in a deep sleep and snoring louder than ever. Not even the commotion by Sasha's men couldn't wake him up.

Ga Eul glanced out the window and can see a line of men blocking the road. Some of the men were holding shotguns and wore camouflage clothes.

"Looks like we've hit a roadblock," she heard Yi Jung said.

She flipped her face to his direction so fast that her long hair swiped his face. Yi Jung flinched when a piece of her hair got into his right eye. "Omo. I'm sorry," Ga Eul gasp, covering her hand over her mouth.

Yi Jung rubbed his eye until it turned red. "Aish. If you're not going to tie your hair up, at least keep them short. It can poke someone's eyes out."

Ga Eul pouted at his comment. "I already apologized, and my hair is perfect the way it is."

Yi Jung smiled and glared out the window. "I think they're part of the military? Or maybe some gang who guards this area?"

The chattering of the driver and the men outside hushed them, and even though they didn't understand what was being said, the look on the driver's face told them a change of plan may be needed. After a brief conversation with the men outside, the driver faced Sasha and Igor. "The bridge. Three kilometers ahead. Closed for storm. Maybe tomorrow? Or in two days? It will open again," he told them.

Sasha turned to the back of the truck and eye contacted Ga Eul. The short gazed scared Ga Eul and she hid her face halfway in the blazer. "I don't care about the bridge. We keep going to until we get to Honduras," Sasha demanded.

The driver swallowed and licked his lips. "Miss, is dangerous bridge. No good to go on. We go to nearby village. They have shelter. Wait for bridge to be safe to go on. Please."

"Are you deaf? I said GO," Sasha quipped.

The driver felt defeated especially with a truckload of Russian men. He waved at the men outside and the men made way for the truck to go past. The truck continued on the dirt path road which soon ascended higher into a slope and caused the truck to slow down. In order to keep the truck moving fast again, Igor and Sasha's men had to get out and help push the truck uphill. It was a long push up and after a kilometer, the road was flat again and they climbed back inside the truck. The wind was still as crazy especially with the open landscape and sky in full view. They drove past a diverge road and later, when Sasha's men were about to fall back asleep from boredom, the roaring sound of a river kept their eyes wide awake. Even Dr. Lawlor was awoken from the sound and poked his head at every direction, curious of their whereabouts.

The truck stopped again and everyone gazed in silent at a narrow bridge ahead of them. It was a long, wooden bridge with no rails on either side, and the rushing river underneath it sway high and crashed onto the bridge.

"No. We go. We die," the driver protest. He reversed his truck, but quickly stomped on his brake pedal when he saw Igor's gun pointed at his face.

"Drive through the bridge now," Sasha ordered him.

The driver took a deep sigh and said a little prayer in Spanish. He slowly drove the truck towards the bridge and every few seconds, wiped some tears in his eyes.

Ga Eul wanted to yell out in agreement with the driver, but was too afraid of Sasha and Igor's threats. She quickly pulled the blazer to cover her face again and Yi Jung's attached hand almost smacked her mouth.

"Miss Ga Eul, don't worry. We'll be okay," Yi Jung assured her.

"How are you so sure? Don't you see how scary that bridge is? What if it floods us?" Ga Eul asked.

Yi Jung watched as they approach closer to the bridge. He softly let out a sighed. "Let's hope it doesn't," he replied.

The truck drove on the bridge at a slow pace and a new set of wind thrashed against the truck. The wild river continued to crash the bridge and created a swamp around them. Sasha demanded the driver to go faster and when he did, a loud crack beneath the bridge scared him.

"No. No more," the driver cried.

"You fool-" Sasha said. She pulled out her gun and was about to shoot the driver in his face, when a huge wave crashed the side of the truck.

The wave pushed their truck to a ninety degrees angle, leaving the front half of the truck hanging loose at the edge of the bridge. The bridge moaned at every body movement and swayed in a seesaw motion.

"No one move! We need to balance the truck in place," Sasha said. "Denis, give me your hand."

The tall man who bumped his head earlier in the plane extended his long arm towards Sasha. In between him and Sasha was an open screen window that separated the front and back of the cab. Sasha took Denis' hand and he pulled her through the window. The driver tried climbing through the window next, but Igor pointed his gun at the driver's head and grunted.

"Lovebirds and Ivan, get out of the truck slowly," Sasha said.

Yi Jung opened the trunk door and Ga Eul and him stepped out followed by the man, Ivan.

Igor smashed the window wider with his fist and wiggled his way through the window. When he landed on the bed of the trunk, the bridge moaned loudly and Sasha cried out to everybody to exit the truck. Everyone jumped out as fast as they could, leaving behind the driver still crawling out of the broken window.

Yi Jung glanced down at his feet and saw a cracked line in the wooden bridge getting longer and wider by the second. The bridge moaned again and He saw the truck tumble into the wild river. "Run!" he screamed.

The truck tore the bridge apart with a thunderous crack. The surviving people raced to the closet land they saw. Ga Eul wasn't use to wearing high heels and along with Yi Jung's fast pace, she couldn't keep up and stumbled onto the ground.

"Come on, Miss Ga Eul. We're almost there," Yi Jung holler. He grunted in frustration and lifted Ga Eul into his arms like a princess.

Ga Eul instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulder and threw her face into his neck. They were only seconds away from the collapsing bridge behind them and Yi Jung can feel the cracks breaking at the heels of his feet. He sprinted as fast as a runner trying to break the world record in a marathon, then jumped and tossed his body onto land. The quick action forced him to tumbled with Ga Eul on the ground. They rolled in circles a few times until their bodies rested with Yi Jung on top of Ga Eul once again.

Ga Eul opened her eyes and saw Yi Jung gazing down at her. For the third time, they were in the same position like when they first met. Their hearts began beating fast against each other and seem to have unlock some cheerful butterflies in their bellies. They breathed on the other person's lips and their skinship kept them warm and cozy.

Yi Jung pulled some strain of Ga Eul's hair from her face to get a full view of her beautiful face. "Miss Ga Eul. Are you? Okay?" he asked.

Ga Eul nervously bit her lower lip and nodded once.

"I told you. Everything was going to be okay," he said.

Seeing her so close yet again, had Yi Jung wanting to help her bite her lower lip as well. He liked how she had her two hands clenched behind his back and how she seem to be craving for his lips too. Not wanting to waste anymore seconds, he lower his lips towards hers and when he was only an inch away, the cry for help startled them and they glared at the direction the voice was coming from.

"Help! Help!" one of Sasha's men cried.

It was Ivan, drowning and being carry away in the wild river. Boris and Voris tried pulling some branches off a tree, hoping they can still save their friend. But it was too late and Ivan slowly disappeared deep into the river.

"Get up, lovebirds," Sasha said, pointing her gun at Yi Jung's back.

Yi Jung got up and helped Ga Eul onto her feet. Ga Eul shivered at the cold wind and Sasha's gun. She cuddle closer to Yi Jung for warmth and Yi Jung instantly embraced her into his arms.

Sasha smirked at the relationship she seem to be helping build. Wanting to stir the pot, she walked towards Ga Eul and whispered into her ear. "The truth between Yi Jung and I, I was his first lover."

Ga Eul flinched back, confused, and Yi Jung shoved Sasha away. "You better not be spreading any lies about me to her," Yi Jung said.

Sasha chuckled and wiped the spot Yi Jung touched her. "Lies? Is me being your first love a lie?"

Yi Jung clutched his fist and angrily glared at the ground. Sasha chuckled again and walked off, letting the silence from him explain itself.

Ga Eul took a step back, forcing Yi Jung to release her. Her heart felt broken and the cheerful butterflies were locked deep in her belly again. She reminded herself that Yi Jung wasn't her boyfriend, let alone, her friend. He was simply a perverted and dishonest mafia man. She pursed her lips and faced away from him.

"Miss Ga Eul," Yi Jung said in disbelief. "Don't tell me you believe her again?" He took her arm, but she jerked it away.

"Please, just leave me alone," Ga Eul begged. Although all she wanted was some space to herself.

Yi Jung shook his head, amazing at Ga Eul's gullibility. He saw Sasha from afar, smirking at him and he thought of flipping her off with his middle finger. But Sasha glanced away to study who were still remaining.

"It looks like we'll be stuck in the Guatemala side for awhile. Let's follow the road and go to the shelter the driver was talking about," Sasha said.

Ga Eul scanned her surrounding and notice the driver was missing. He must had died with the truck, she thought. Everyone else had made it to land safely, except for Ivan who had drown in the wild river.

Dr. Lawlor approached Ga Eul and asked her how she was doing.

"I'm fine, thank you," Ga Eul replied with a short bow.

Feeling annoyed at how close Dr. Lawlor was standing next to Ga Eul, Yi Jung pulled Ga Eul in closer to him. "If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't had been fine," Yi Jung said, glaring at Dr. Lawlor.

Ga Eul scoffed and walked off. Her helpless handcuffed hand dragged Yi Jung away from the scene as well. They followed Sasha and her men back on the dirt road with the roaring river now behind them.


	14. The Lovebirds

**Chapter 14: The Lovebirds**

"Come on, lovebirds. Keep walking," Sasha called out to Yi Jung and Ga Eul.

The pair stagger in a distance behind Sasha, Igor, and Dr. Lawlor while Sasha's three remaining men guarded them in a circle. They have been walking for half an hour on the dirt road, and the wind and high heels had Ga Eul slowing them down. Yi Jung had offered to carry Ga Eul like a princess again, but she declined his request and instead carried her heels and walked barefoot.

It took them another twenty minutes to reach the diverge road, and when they did they knew by the surrounding jungle that the village shelter was still miles away. They turned towards the new path which was rugged with tire marks and mud, and every few minutes, a car came honking through. The new road was much busier than the previous one, yet no one slowed down or dared to take a second look at them.

It wasn't until after two kilometers when a rusty gray, unmarked bus drove past them, then stopped. The long pause by the bus had Sasha worried. Could it be the Guatemalan driver's friends, perhaps looking for revenge, or even worst, Sasha guessed, it may be the group from earlier who had blocked them on the road. In a country where laws weren't always enforced, anyone out in the wild can get kill and may never be heard of again. Sasha was well aware of this and her right hand reached for the hidden gun behind her belt. She saw Igor copying her pose and she gesture at him to wait for her call.

The bus was motionless for a while with its engine still running, then suddenly reversed slowly and stopped next to them. The door of the bus burst open and Sasha's men stood up straight. They saw a figure dressed in all black climbing down from the door. Sasha kept her stance, cautiously waiting to see who this person may be. Her men braced themselves with their hands ready to grab for their hidden guns as well. The figure came out from the dark bus and appeared by the doorstep. To their surprise, it was only a nun.

The nun was an old lady, but tall and had light skin. She had a gracious smile and looked delighted to see them. "Hello, my friends. My name is Sister Marie and I am curious of why you all are out here in the cold," she spoke in English with a soft tone.

Sasha relaxed her body and smirked at Sister Marie. "Our truck broke down and we have nowhere to go. Someone told us there was a nearby shelter."

The smile on Sister Marie's face grew. "A shelter? My, the closest one in this area is San Marcos Church. The children and I are heading there right now. Please, come join us and we can take you there." Sister Marie climbed back into the bus and waved her hand at them to follow her in. "Come on, get out of the nasty weather. There's plenty of warm seats in here."

Sasha gave a nod at Igor and Igor answer with a blank expression. He followed Sister Marie into the bus and after a half a minute, reappeared and nodded at Sasha.

It was warm inside the bus and more crowded than they expected. Ga Eul was quite astonished to see the children Sister Marie mentioned were actually teenagers. With Sasha and her men carrying their guns around, she would had prefer no one in the bus. Most of the teens were Caucasian with a few African Americans and Asians. They wore matching aqua color sweatshirts and were too busy chatting to even notice the new arrivals.

Since the teens were scattered everywhere, it left Sasha no choice but to allowed Ga Eul and Yi Jung pick their own seats. Yi Jung and Ga Eul decided to sit in the middle of a group of girls at the rear, leaving Sasha and her men in the front rows.

The bus was moving again on the dirt road and the chatter from the teens got louder. Sister Marie brought over some bottle of water and handed one to Ga Eul and Yi Jung. "We should be at San Marcos church very soon," Sister Marie said with her still gracious smile.

"Thank you," Ga Eul replied with a small bow. She quickly tear the cap off the bottle and gulped down half of the water.

Yi Jung took his time drinking his water and smiled at how thirsty Ga Eul was. "Don't drink too fast. With all the troubles you've been in, drowning from a bottle of water is the last thing you want."

Ga Eul wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glared at Yi Jung. "We've been walking for so long without stopping. Let me drink as much as I want."

Yi Jung shrugged. "I offered to carry you, but you didn't want my help."

"What is it with you?" Ga Eul scoffed. "One minute you're making fun of me, then the next minute, you want to help me."

Yi Jung smirked. "Listen, Miss Ga Eul. Your appa wanted me to take care of you and that's all I'm doing."

"So if your boss wasn't my appa, you wouldn't care for me?"

Yi Jung was quiet for a moment, his eyes focused on their handcuff. "I'll take care of you regardless of Master Chu or not."

Ga Eul wanted to believe him, yet something inside her told her otherwise. "Is it true? What Sasha said at the bridge?" she asked.

Yi Jung almost rolled his eyes. "Miss Ga Eul, Sasha is the bad guy here. Please remember that."

"I know she's the bad guy. But that doesn't answer my question if you two were once…," her voice trailed off and she found herself biting her lower lip.

"I don't think this is the right place to be talking about something Sasha didn't mean."

Ga Eul sat up. "No, this is the perfect place and time to talk about it. Sasha can't hear us in this crowd and no one even understands what we're saying."

Yi Jung's eyebrows narrowed. "What we should be talking about is how to escape Sasha."

"After we figure out how to steal the key for this annoying handcuff first." Ga Eul glanced away from Yi Jung to look out of the window.

"Don't think you're the only one who wants the handcuff off," Yi Jung scowl in agreement. He glared at the seat in front of him and notice a girl in that seat quickly looking away from him. He leaned towards the girl's seat and saw her pretending to read a book in her hands. "Hey," he instinctively said to her.

But the girl shoved the book closer to her face. She was a slim Asian girl who wore an eyeglass and had a ponytail. She nervously fidgeted in her seat, giving evidences to Yi Jung to be more suspicious about her.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Yi Jung asked in Korean.

The girl remain silent and still.

"Yi Jung, stop bothering her and mind your own business," Ga Eul said, pulling Yi Jung back into their seat.

"She's Korean," Yi Jung whispered to Ga Eul. "I think she understands what we're saying."

Ga Eul raised one eyebrow, unsure if Yi Jung was making things up. She decided to test the theory and leaned towards the girl's seat. "Aigoo, you're reading one of my favorite books, The Maze Runner," Ga Eul said in Korean, noticing the book the girl was holding. "Newt is my favorite character."

Ga Eul's remarks seem to ease the girl. She lower her book from her face and glanced at Ga Eul. "I like Minho," she replied in Korean.

"Oh, Minho. He's a very smart and loyal character. He's Korean too." Ga Eul smiled and the girl smiled back. "My name's Ga Eul. And what's yours?"

"Abby," she answer.

"Hello, Abby. What is a young, pretty Korean girl like you doing in Central America?"

Abby faced her body halfway at Ga Eul. "I came with my high school for a charity field trip. We're going from village to village to help people in need. Today's our fifth day here and we're going to San Marcos church."

Ga Eul can tell by her accent that she was born in America. "That's a great deed you and your classmates are doing. There needs to be more young people like you," Ga Eul said.

Abby grinned and adjusted her eyeglass. She glanced at Yi Jung from the corner of her eyes, then whispered at Ga Eul. "Hmm. Is everything okay with you and your husband?"

Ga Eul nearly sat back in her seat and frantically waved her right hand. "Ah, he's not my husband. But we're fine. Thanks for the concern though. Hm. I hope you enjoy the book, Abby."

"Oh, yeah," Abby almost giggled, holding the book up. She readjusted her eyeglass again and was about to say something, but changed her mind and went back to read her book.

"You should try to get her to help us escape Sasha," Yi Jung suggested when Ga Eul leaned back next to him.

"Are you crazy? I'm not going to get anyone else involved with our problem," Ga Eul whispered. "Especially a young girl like her. She's only here to help others. Unlike you and Sasha, whose life mission is to steal and make money off of others."

"Don't clump me with Sasha," Yi Jung retorted. "I'm actually trying to help you. Do you see Sasha doing the same?" He took in a deep sigh to relax his anger. "I just need to find a way to get to this Peter guy before she does."

"Well, we're going to need Dr. Lawlor to help us to find Peter."

Yi Jung shook his head once. "We don't need Dr. Lawlor. If we ask around, we can probably find Peter."

"But it'll be faster with Dr. Lawlor. He's Peter's friend."

Yi Jung gave an annoy rub on his forehead and glared at Ga Eul. "Why do you want Dr. Lawlor around so much?"

"Why do you not want him around?" Ga Eul asked, confused.

"I don't trust Sasha or Dr. Lawlor."

"And I should trust you?"

Yi Jung sighed loudly. "Fine. We'll wait for Dr. Lawlor then."

They soon arrived in a village where many clay like homes were built on a hillside. Most of the homes were narrow and identical, and down below the village was a huge river. The bus stopped in front of a white missionary building and Sister Marie led everyone out towards the church.

"Keep acting like lovebirds and no one will notice you guys," Sasha whispered behind Ga Eul and Yi Jung. She shoved Ga Eul closer to Yi Jung, hoping to keep the handcuff hidden. "My men and I have our eyes on you two, so don't do anything stupid."

"Friends, over here," Sister Marie waved and called out to Sasha, Yi Jung, and Ga Eul.

Inside the church, there were hundreds of brown skinned children and adults scattered throughout the main entrance room. The parents sat in chairs, caring for their sick babies while the younger ones were either running in circles or crying for attention. One of the nuns in the crowd notice Sister Marie and rushed towards her.

"Sister Marie, you've made it," the nun said, cheerfully opening her arms out for a hug.

Sister Marie hugged the nun. "The children from Bless The Soul Foundation is here. We've got thirty-three helpers this year."

"Wonderful!" the nun said. She faced everyone and her smile was as gracious as Sister Marie's. "Hello, everyone. I'm Sister Cristina and welcome to San Marcos Church. This missionary have been here for ninety-eights and was built by the loving God's hand to help every human race on this planet. I thank you for the kindness that each of you have brought and hope your stay with us is a very blessed one." She waved her hand towards an approaching nun. "I know the trip must had been a difficult and long one, so I won't waste anymore of your time. Please, follow Sister Martha and she will show you to your rooms."

Everyone formed a big line and began following Sister Martha, but when Sister Marie remembered the new group she picked up from the street, she quickly told Sister Cristina about them.

"Ah, foreign visitors," Sister Cristina said. "We have special rooms for foreigners. Come this way. Your rooms are in a separate floor."

Sister Cristina lead them to another room; a room big enough to throw a wedding party or a prom. There were rows and rows of hundreds of single beds and each were occupied by women and children. Ga Eul gazed at each child's faces, and noticed one thing they had common; they were thin, weak, and wore dirty clothes. She felt bad to see such innocent children living below the poverty line. If she wasn't tied to Yi Jung or had Sasha and her men nearby, she would have gone and hug the children because it was the only gift she can give them at the moment.

There was one lady, however, who seem to stick out to Ga Eul. She had dark skin, wore a brown rag wrapped around her hair, and sat alone. Her neck stretch high and her eyeballs were huge, Ga Eul thought they were about to pop out of her socket.

"Yi Jung," Ga Eul whispered and poked Yi Jung's arm. "That lady over there can't stop staring at me."

"Aish. Just keep walking, will you?" Yi Jung replied, looking ahead.

"Is everything okay, Rose?" Dr. Lawlor asked from behind.

"She's fine," Yi Jung shot out an answer. He pulled Ga Eul by her handcuffed hand and her body slammed into his.

"Ouch, Yi Jung, be careful," Ga Eul cried.

She was relieved when they entered a door and left the big room. She wouldn't mind sharing her space with the children, but the dark skinned woman was a different story. They went up some stairs until they reached a long corridor with numerous doors on each side.

"These are our special rooms. Each room is vacant with one bed and a bathroom. You are free to choose which room you like," Sister Cristina said. "We will be serving dinner in the cafeteria in another hour. I hope to see you guys there soon." She graciously smiled and left the corridor.

Sasha opened a door next to her and went inside to inspected it. There was only a full size bed, another door to the bathroom, and a small dirty window that even Ga Eul won't fit through. "Denis, you guard Dr. Lawlor's room," Sasha said when she exited the room. "Boris, Voris, you got the lovebirds."

Boris and Voris chuckled and shoved Ga Eul and Yi Jung inside a random room. "Don't make the bed squeak loud," Voris laughed. He high five his brother and slammed the door shut.

Ga Eul tossed her heels on the floor next to the bed. Seeing the cozy bed made her want to throw her body on it and get a good, long sleep. She haven't been on a bed in what felt like a century. But with Yi Jung still attach to her, she couldn't freely do what she wanted. "This isn't fair," she whined, staring at the handcuff.

"Life isn't always fair," Yi Jung responded.

"Sasha should had given us our own room."

"I agree," Yi Jung sighed. He took a step to his left, kicked a wooden door open, and saw a toilet inside.

"Yah!" Ga Eul shriek as Yi Jung dragged her inside a tiny bathroom with him. "You're going to go in front of me?"

"I'm sorry, but when you have to go, you have to go." Yi Jung stood in front of the toilet and unzipped his pants.

Ga Eul quickly looked away. The thought of knowing how close her left hand was next to his groin made her feel more awkward. She cringed when she heard his urine splashing into the toilet bowl. "Are you almost done?" she whimpered.

Yi Jung sighed. "I haven't used the bathroom since we left Las Vegas. Be patient, will you?"

"But you're taking so long."

"Well, then whistle or sing a song."

Ga Eul sung the first song that came into her head. " _Girls, just want to have fun. Oh girls, just want to have fun…_ "

Yi Jung chuckled. "Cyndi Lauper? Really?"

"Oh, just hurry up and finish your business," Ga Eul cried.

Yi Jung zipped his pants, flushed the toilet, then washed his hand at a rusty sink. "Do you need to go?" he asked, gently tugging the handcuff.

After a long silence, Ga Eul nodded. With the toilet in sight and hearing Yi Jung release himself gave her the urgency to go as well. Yi Jung smirked and they switched spot.

"Are you almost done?" Yi Jung asked before Ga Eul even sat down.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny," Ga Eul said. "Why won't you sing a song?"

"Okay," Yi Jung answer with a small shrug. He gazed at a wall and tilted his head back and forth. " _Upside, inside out, she's livin la vida loca. She'll push and pull you down, she's livin la vida loca. Her lips are devil red and her skin's the color of mocha. She will wear you out, she's livin la vida loca. She's livin la vida loca-"_

"What kind of song is that?" Ga Eul fluster.

"You've never heard of it? It's a song about a woman living the crazy life. I thought it'll be a fitting song for you."

Ga Eul flushed the toilet and went to the rusty sink. "Isn't there any other song you can sing instead of a crazy woman?"

Yi Jung thought for a second, then turned to Ga Eul and threw a peace sign with his hand towards his eye. "Gwi-Yo-Mi!"

Ga Eul bursted out laughing. Out of all the men she have ever met in her life, Yi Jung was the last man in the world she would had ever thought to act so cutesy. "Aigoo," she tried containing her laughter. "You're...so," she wiped some tears from her eyes. "So...gwiyomi."

Yi Jung couldn't understand what was funny. "Really? I'm that cute?" he asked in a stern voice.

Ga Eul hysterically nodded and continued laughing.

"Hey, what's going on in there?" Boris yelled, cracking the door open.

"Nothing," Yi Jung answer. He led Ga Eul out of the bathroom and when Ga Eul saw Boris, she immediately covered her mouth and giggled through it.

Boris studied them for awhile, shook his head in annoyance, then closed the door.

Ga Eul slapped Yi Jung's arm and laughed. "Do you know the whole gwiyomi song?"

"No. Do you?"

Ga Eul stuck out the tip of her tongue. "Every Korean knows the song. Do you want to learn it?"

Yi Jung held up his hand. "No-"

But Ga Eul was already dragging him towards the bed. "Come on, I'll teach it to you. It's a fun song. You'll like much more than that crazy woman song."

Yi Jung was starting to regret for mentioning the word, "gwiyomi". They sat down on the bed and faced each other.

"Okay, so here's how the song goes," Ga Eul cheered. She began singing the song and moving her hands with the tune. "Come on, Yi Jung. Follow along with me."

Yi Jung rolled his eyes and sighed. "This is silly." But when Ga Eul's pinky finger suddenly found his pinky, it got his attention and his eyes were frozen onto her.

Ga Eul sung in a cute voice when their pinky fingers were together, " _please pinky promise me, that you'll never leave me,_ " she sung. She continue singing and making poses along the way. Some of the poses was a bunny ear, poking an index finger on the cheek, and doing the heart shape with both hands. "So, are you ready to join me with the song now?" she asked after singing it for the sixth time.

Yi Jung sat quietly with a huge grin. He already knew Ga Eul was a beautiful woman, but her adorable laughter and cute poses was too much to handle. He was worried he'll be drowning in his own sweat and drool soon. His eyes went down to her cleavage and he licked his lower lip. He had forgotten that underneath the blazer, she was still wearing the red dress he bought her in Las Vegas.

"Yi Jung?" Ga Eul said.

Yi Jung blinked his eyes, almost lost his dirty thoughts. "Yes?" he asked.

"Let's do the poses together," Ga Eul smiled.

"Ah, I'm not ready yet." Yi Jung's eyes darted up and down from Ga Eul's lips to her cleavage, as if her features were in a competition on which he should gaze at longer.

"But I've already sung the song six times," Ga Eul fretted. She noticed his wandering eyes, so she covered her cleavage with the blazer.

"Miss Ga Eul," Yi Jung said, trying to not sound upset. "May you...please sing the song one more time?"

Ga Eul scoffed, but sung the song again. When she got to the part of the pinky swear and their pinkies were intertwined, Yi Jung took her wrist and pulled her hand into his chest. The sudden gesture caught Ga Eul by surprise. She was speechless and remained still. Her hand began to tremble when she can feel Yi Jung's heart beating so fast. She quickly lower her head, too afraid to show her nervous emotion.

Yi Jung lifted her chin up until their eyes met. "Miss Ga Eul," he whispered.

His voice was enticing, his eyes were dreamy, and his firm grip on her hand was gentle. "Yi Jung," Ga Eul's voice crack.

Yi Jung raised her hand up to his lips, then slowly, softly, kissed her fingers.

Ga Eul's heart thumped harder than ever. The sweet kiss from him had unlocked every butterfly waiting to expose itself in her stomach. She wanted more of him now. His lips, his fingers, his arms, his whole body. Every little bit that belonged to him, she wanted it all. Her muscle tensed and she wanted to jump, grab him, and suck on his face. Yet her body remained numb and her bones anxiously shiver.

"Don't be nervous," Yi Jung said. He moved the hand he had on her chin and caressed her rosy cheek.

She embraced his warm hand and brushed her dry lips into his sweaty palm. "Yi Jung," she shudder, closing her eyes. She kissed his palm because she couldn't help it anymore, then opened her eyes when she felt his hot breath near her face.

He had lean in and the tip of their noses were adjacent to each other. Ga Eul assumed he must be waiting for her to make a move as well, so she inched her lips closer to his. Her heart raced a thousand miles and any second now, she knew their lips will be locked.

"Lovebirds!" someone cried.

Ga Eul and Yi Jung threw their faces at the sound. It was Boris and Voris standing by the doorway, glaring at them.

"We came at the right time, yeah?" Boris laughed.

"I think even without the handcuff, these two will still find a way to be attached together," Voris added with a chuckle.

"Sasha wants you two to eat. They're serving dinner downstairs right now," Boris said.

Ga Eul and Yi Jung slowly released each other and got off the bed. The pair followed Boris while Voris stood closed behind them. They were led to the strong smell of pinto beans and entered a busy and humid cafeteria. The place was already filled with many local villagers, some waiting in a long line at a food service window while others devour their meals at their individual tables. Ga Eul and Yi Jung waited in the same food service line which took ten long minutes just to get a paper plate. They were then served a flour tortilla, two spoonful of chili beans, a bread bun, and a small carton of milk.

"Sasha want you at her table," Voris said to Yi Jung. He pointed at a round table at the corner of room.

"Rose, how are you?" Dr. Lawlor asked when Ga Eul and Yi Jung sat down at the table.

"I'm fine, thank you," Ga Eul replied with a nod.

"Well, I'm going to get another plate. One meal isn't enough for me," Dr. Lawlor said. He stood up and Igor stood with him. "Did you need anything, Rose? I can bring it for you."

Yi Jung glared at Dr. Lawlor and Ga Eul smiled. "Maybe another bun?" Ga Eul said.

Dr. Lawlor gave a small bow and grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

When Dr. Lawlor and Igor was gone, Sasha folded her arms onto the table. "Eat as much as you can tonight because tomorrow will be a very long day," she said.

Ga Eul took a bite of her bread bun and from the corner of her eyes, she can see Sasha gazing closely at Yi Jung. Her eyes darted towards Yi Jung and she saw his nose almost in his plate. He seem to be too busy eating and not wanting to speak.

"We found a new driver with a bigger truck and he seem to be more willing to help us," Sasha said, her eyes still on Yi Jung. "He'll take us on another route to Honduras, since the last bridge we were on broke down." She checked her watch, then stared at Yi Jung again. "Rain or shine, we're leaving tomorrow at six in the morning, sharp. And this time, we're stopping for nothing."

She stood up from her chair without blinking away from Yi Jung. "Mr. So Yi Jung, take care of The Pink Sparkle for me tonight. I'll see you tomorrow morning." She then told her men at the next table to keep an eye on their captives and left the cafeteria.

Ga Eul watched Sasha leave, then glanced at Yi Jung. "Yi Jung, did you know that she had her eyes on you the whole time?"

Yi Jung shrugged. "Just finish your food because it may be our last one for awhile."

Ga Eul gazed at her plate. She was hungry but with no spoon or fork provided, she wasn't sure how to eat. She watched Yi Jung tear a piece of his tortilla with one hand, then he dipped and wrapped some chili bean in it, and ate it like it was the best food ever. He licked his thumb when he noticed a smear of chili on it and went back to build another mini-burrito.

Ga Eul swallowed at how delicious Yi Jung was making the food look, then copied every step he did. Her mini-burrito came out big and cute, and she smiled at how well she made it. She took a bite of it and almost spited her food out. The tortilla was okay, but she hated the beans. It tasted bland and rough like a piece of cardboard box. She placed her mini-burrito back on her plate and drowned the taste away with her milk.

"You're not eating anymore?" Yi Jung asked when Ga Eul didn't touch her food again.

"I miss my rice and kimchi," Ga Eul confessed.

"Here's your bread," Dr. Lawlor said. He placed the bread on Ga Eul's plate and sat across from her.

Bread was what Ga Eul needed at the moment. "Thank you," she bowed at Dr. Lawlor.

Igor sat beside Dr. Lawlor but had no plate in front of him. He glared with his typical blank expression and watched Ga Eul munch down her bread.

Out of nowhere, Dr. Lawlor's arm knocked his milk carton on the table. It fell on its side and a wave of milk spilled and landed onto Igor's lap. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Dr. Lawlor said with his clumsy hand up.

Igor grunted, patted his wet pants, and left their table to find some clean napkins. Dr. Lawlor quickly scooted his chair closer into the table and leaned in. "Hey, tonight we're ditching Sasha and her buddies," he whispered.

Yi Jung and Ga Eul glanced at each other, then at Dr. Lawlor. "How?" Yi Jung asked.

"The man with the cowboy hat, two rows behind you," Dr. Lawlor replied. "That's Pedro."

Yi Jung slowly turned his head back and scanned the surrounding. He found a tan, thick man with a mustache and a cowboy hat. Pedro was sitting next to a dark skinned woman with a brown rag on her hair. They were eating and talking away.

Yi Jung faced Dr. Lawlor again. "What happen to Peter?"

"I was only calling Pedro, 'Peter' because I didn't want Sasha and her buddies to know."

"How were you able to contact Pedro?"

"The lady next sitting next to him is Yolanda. She must had noticed me and The Pink Sparkle on Rose earlier and called Pedro about it. They don't get many guests here like Sasha and her buddies, so the locals like Yolanda know something must wrong." Dr. Lawlor took a bite of his bread. "Pedro slipped a note to me when Sasha and her buddies weren't paying attention in the food line. The note said 'midnight'."

"Midnight?" Yi Jung said in amusement.

"That's the time Pedro will come help us escape. So don't go to sleep when you go back in your room later. Stay alert."

"If we go with Peter, what does he plan to do with...Rose, and The Pink Sparkle?" Yi Jung needed to know.

"I'm not sure, but I can guarantee you one thing, he's a whole lot safer to be with than this Sasha girl and that weird Frankenstein."

Yi Jung shook his head, not sure if he should trust Dr. Lawlor yet.

"I'm risky my life for this just like you and Rose. If you don't want to escape with me, then you two of you are on your own. Keep in mind that Pedro was the man who help me find The Pink Sparkle. He may very well be the same man who can help get the ring off Rose."

Ga Eul tugged Yi Jung's arm. "Yi Jung, this is our chance to escape."

Yi Jung glared at Ga Eul and remembered the chat they had on the bus. "Alright, we'll be waiting at midnight," he said to Dr. Lawlor.

"Hey! No whispering," Denis holler. He approached the round table with Boris and Voris.

"Lovebirds, dinner's over. Time to go squeak the bed again," Voris laughed.

They headed out of the cafeteria and walked past Pedro and Yolanda. Dr. Lawlor gave Pedro a quick nod, and Pedro responded by raising his hat. "It's going to be a nice, long night," Dr. Lawlor smiled at Sasha's men.


	15. Escape From San Marcos Church

**Chapter 15: Escape From San Marcos Church**

Ga Eul sat alone on the bed of her small captive room. It was dark with only a peak of the moonlight shining through its small window. The church had shut off its light to save energy and the building was quiet and still. She hugged her knees to keep herself warm and massaged her left wrist to enjoy the comfort of having a free hand again.

Earlier when she had left the cafeteria with Yi Jung and Sasha's men, Denis had taken off their handcuff and ordered Yi Jung into another room. She was confused and scared of the sudden change, but Yi Jung told her to not worry and that, "everything will be okay." Yet with the passing hours and the silence of the place, she had trouble believing his words. She began to think that Sasha may had figured out about their escape plan. Or could it be that Pedro had changed his mind and not want to risk his life to save them? If that was the case, Ga Eul wouldn't blame him. Sasha and her men were dangerous, after all.

She gazed at the Pink Sparkle and watched it glitter. Each day the ring would seem to weight lighter and have a new spark to it. Sometimes she would forget that she had on the ring until Sasha or one of her men would give her a death glare. Then she'll be reminded of how far away from home she is and the great danger she still has to face.

She cleaned the diamond on the ring by breathing some hot air onto it, then wiping it down with her thumb and the sleeve of her blazer. The ring glitter brightly as if it wanted to thank her for the nice, warm bath. She smiled at the beauty of it and can see why certain people were after this precious gem. The diamond was carved in a perfect circle and had a captivating effect. It can shine into people's souls and show them what true love should be like.

"You don't belong to Sasha, Dr. Lawlor, or even my appa. You belong to In Katech and his lover, just like how a soulmate should belongs to each other," she whispered to the ring. "I can't guarantee you that I'll be able to find your owners, but I'll make it my goal to take you as far as I can." She tilted the ring back and forth with her finger, and the ring seem to be in an agreement by sparkling into her eyes.

Suddenly through the door, she heard a low moan. Could it be Pedro, finally here to save us? she thought and listened carefully. She sat up on the bed and kept her eyes on the door. But after a long silence, there was no other noise except the snoring of one of Sasha's men through the thin walls.

The long night was getting longer and her room was getting colder. She wrapped the blanket on the bed around herself and placed her face into her knees. She wanted to stay alert in case Pedro may show up. But her hope was dwindling and she soon started to believe that when dawn comes, she'll be leaving town with Sasha and her men again. The thought frightened her and she wanted to cry. She was tired of being a prisoner to Sasha and ordered around from places to places. She hoped and prayed that Pedro may be her savior. If he wasn't then she knew she'll forever be stuck with the Pink Sparkle and life will never be the same again.

"Rose?" a soft voice said.

Ga Eul glanced at the door and was relieved it was Dr. Lawlor. Dr. Lawlor beamed a flashlight at his face and pushed the door wide open. She slipped her feet into her high heels and went out to the dark hallway. The sight of a body figure on the floor freaked her out. She gasped and took a step backward.

"It's alright, he's dead. Pedro choked him unconscious," Dr. Lawlor whispered. His hand reached for Ga Eul but Ga Eul didn't take it.

Instead, she scanned the hallway and only saw Pedro. "Where's Yi Jung?" she whispered loudly.

"I don't know which room he's in and I'm not going to risk us finding out," Dr. Lawlor replied.

"But we're also supposed to leave with him," Ga Eul raised her voice.

"Shh. We leave in silence," Pedro said as quietly as possible. Pedro adjusted his cowboy hat on the top of his head and beamed his flashlight at the end of the hallway.

Dr. Lawlor reached for Ga Eul again but when she still didn't take his hand, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into to him. "I promise I'll keep you safe," he insisted.

Two doors away from them, a door suddenly cracked open. Pedro aimed his gun towards the door while Dr. Lawlor shined his flashlight. The door softly closed and Yi Jung's face emerged in the light.

"Yi Jung," Ga Eul said in surprise. She fought off Dr. Lawlor's grip and ran to Yi Jung, but when she got near him, she instantly froze. There was something different about him. His tie was missing and the buttons on his dress shirt were off. "Are you-o-okay?" she stuttered.

"I'm fine," Yi Jung answer, tucking his shirt into his pants. He walked past her without another word and headed to Dr. Lawlor and Pedro. "Let's go before the others may hear us," he said to the two waiting men.

Ga Eul found it odd how unorganized Yi Jung's shirt was, but now wasn't the time to question him about it. She followed a few feet behind him and since the place was dark, she almost stumbled on the dead body when she had to walked past it again. She quickly steady herself up and took two steps forward, but a warm mist wrapped her right ankle and she flew to the floor.

"Yi Jung," she cried, her stomach flat on the ground.

The dead man had awoken from hell. He chuckled and crawled on top of Ga Eul. Ga Eul glared at him and can tell it was Denis. She whimpered and began throwing punches at Denis' face. But Denis kept chuckling and wrestled for both of her hands. He opened his mouth and wanted to bite off The Pink Sparkle from her finger. She screamed when she realized what he was doing. His sharp bright teeth snarled closer to her right hand and she tried pulling her hand away from his hungry mouth, but his grip was too strong and she was losing the battle.

Yi Jung's shoe appeared and rapidly landed into Denis mouth. He kicked Denis with so much force that a flood of blood flew in the air along with a missing tooth. "Get off of her," Yi Jung holler.

A second rough kick finally did it and Denis limped off of Ga Eul and groaned in pain. "Come on, Miss Ga Eul," Yi Jung said. He took Ga Eul by her underarm and hoisted her onto her feet.

Doors were being swung open from left and right and the outlines of Sasha and her men emerged in the hallway. "Mr. So Yi Jung!" Sasha called out.

Yi Jung grabbed Ga Eul's arm and together they ran with Dr. Lawlor and Pedro. They turned at the corner of the corridor and a gunshot whistle right behind them. Ga Eul scream at how close she was almost being shot at and Yi Jung dragged her like a ragdoll because she was too slow for him.

When they reached the bottom of the stair, Ga Eul stumbled and lost one of her high heels. She clumsily tried getting up, but felt Yi Jung's muscular arms wrapping her back. He instantly swept her off her feet and carried her like a princess again, then ran as fast as he can like when they were on the broken bridge once more.

They entered the big room with many rows of beds. The place had some light thanks to the lit candles hanging against the wall. Ga Eul saw some of the women and children awake in their beds and glaring at them. She also had a better glimpse of Sasha and her men gaining ground on them. "Yi Jung," she cried, half in fear and half encouraging him to run faster.

Sasha was in the lead of her pack, her arms and legs swung high as she ran. She furiously glared at Ga Eul and Ga Eul can see the burning flames in her eyes. Ga Eul buried her face into Yi Jung's neck and prayed that it'll be the last time she'll ever see Sasha again. She clutched her arms around Yi Jung's shoulders and can feel every movement and wind he made. There was turn at a corner, then a hop, a kick, another turn, and finally it was back at a full sprint. His heart was beating fast and his breathing was heavy. The sound of a door crush open and she immediately felt a cold breeze hit her bare legs. She peeked through Yi Jung's neck and saw they were now outside.

"Hurry," Pedro yelled. Pedro held one hand on his cowboy hat and ran to a nearby jeep. They followed Pedro and quickly climbed into the jeep. Yi Jung sat in the back and placed Ga Eul beside him. They flinched at the same time when some bullets cracked their side window.

"Let's go, Pedro!" Dr. Lawlor holler from the passenger seat.

More gunshot flicked on their jeep and Pedro drove off in a flash. "Under your seat! There's guns!" Pedro said to Dr. Lawlor.

Dr. Lawlor's hand traced the bottom of his seat until he felt a few handguns. He pulled them out and handed one to Yi Jung. "For self defense," he said.

Yi Jung checked the cylinder of the gun and saw it was fully loaded. "Are you taking us to Honduras?" Yi Jung asked Pedro.

Pedro had both hands on the steering wheel and tried to control his jeep from the bumpy and muddy dirt road. "As far as away from those Russian, yes," Pedro replied.

They were only on the road for no more than a minute when a car from behind high beamed its headlight at them. Dr. Lawlor glared behind and grunted. "Damn it. I think it's Sasha and her buddies," he said.

A round of gunshot suddenly hit their jeep again. It shattered the back window into pieces and a cold gush wisp inside their jeep. Everyone hover lower as more bullets flew past them. Ga Eul cried at the noise and Yi Jung shielded half of his body over her. "Stay down and don't get up," he demanded.

More gun fires rippled next to them. Ga Eul shuddered when Yi Jung and Dr. Lawlor started firing back at the car. They exchanged fires and ducked their heads often to avoid getting shot at. A bullet struck a few inches above Ga Eul's head and she whimpered. Then she moaned when the wind of a bullet flew past her legs. She quickly hover into a ball on her seat and covered her ears. Firecrackers popped all around her. Left. Right. Up. Down. It hit everything except her lucky small body.

The car approached closer to the back of the jeep. They were able to make out Boris and Voris in the front seats. Sasha and Igor were in the back with half of their bodies sticking out of the side windows. They pointed their guns at the jeep and continuously pushed its triggers.

"Faster, Pedro!" Dr. Lawlor shouted with his head down.

But Pedro didn't step on the gas pedal fast enough and Sasha's car struck their rear end. They jerked forward at the hit, then lunged back. Pedro had stomped on the gas and the jeep roared and bolted in a fury.

"Boris!" Sasha was heard yelling at driver.

They were in a race now as Boris tried pulling his car next to jeep. His car was small so he was able to gain speed fast. Within seconds he caught up with the jeep again. He drove to the side of the jeep and swiped his car against it. But the jeep was big and stood its ground.

"Again, Boris! Keep hitting until it stumbles!" Sasha said in frustration.

Boris grimaced and aimed his car at the Jeep again, but the front tire blew and the car wobbled wildly from side to side. Sasha glared at the jeep and saw Yi Jung's hand quickly pulling back inside its side window.

"Mr. So Yi Jung! You can't get away from me!" Sasha cried. She focused her eyes at a shadow of Yi Jung's head, then pulled the trigger of her gun at that direction. The bullet flew towards the jeep and Yi Jung's head slowly slumped down.

"Hold on!" Pedro shouted.

They had reached the diverge path. Pedro knew the road well. If they were to continue straight, they will drive off a cliff. He veered his steering wheel to his right with force. Everyone titled towards their left as the jeep made a very sharp turn. Mud spatter and flew from its tires. It splashed onto Sasha's car.

Sasha swung herself inside the car and cursed in Russian at Boris' driving skills. The car was losing control from the flat tire. It swerved back and forth and couldn't stay in a straight line. Boris tried stomping on the brake many times, but the brake was coated in mud and the car wouldn't stop. Their car went directly to the cliff and off the road. Then tumbled and crashed deep at the bottom of the forest.

The jeep resumed on and was safely able to make a right turn. When Ga Eul only heard the sound of the wind, she slowly sat up and glanced at the back window. Sasha's car was gone and their jeep was alone on the murky road again.

She glanced over at Yi Jung and saw him leaning against the side window. He was covering his neck with his left hand and softly breathing. "Yi Jung, are you okay?" she gasped.

Yi Jung pulled his hand from his neck to his face. There was some smear of blood on his hand. "I think I got hit," he said in a dazed.

"No," Ga Eul cried. She leaned into him and check his wound. A gash of blood was filtering out from his neck. "Dr. Lawlor! Yi Jung's been shot," she whimper.

Dr. Lawlor glared back after massaging his eyes. He pulled Yi Jung's slump body up and studied Yi Jung's neck. "Pedro, we're going to need some antibiotics for him," Dr. Lawlor said with urges.

The jeep roared as Pedro stepped on the gas again. "I know a place," Pedro replied.

Ga Eul helped Yi Jung by cupping his neck and applying some pressure. Blood trickled through her fingers and she knew things were getting worst. "Please, Pedro! Drive faster!" she cried.

"Rose, don't worry. He's going to be fine," Dr. Lawlor assured her.

"How is he going to be fine when he's bleeding to death?" Ga Eul flabbergasted.

Dr. Lawlor tried to remain calm. "What's more important is that you're okay."

"I'm only okay because of Yi Jung," she declared. She tried holding in her tears and not weep in the open, but deep inside, her heart was breaking. Losing Yi Jung like this never crossed her mind. "Yi Jung, I'm sorry for putting you through this," she mumbled next to his face.

Yi Jung heard her and wasn't sure why she was apologizing. If anything, he believed he was at fault for putting her through this crazy and dangerous mess. He wanted to apologize and gaze at her beautiful face, but his eyelids grew heavy and his lips were numb. His body became weaker and weaker, and he sunk into Ga Eul's lap. A few tear drops sprinkled onto his cheeks, but he couldn't make out if it was his or Ga Eul's.

"Sunbae," he heard Ga Eul said.

Or perhaps it was her voice in his sweet and care free dream.


	16. Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

**AN:** Happy New Year! May 2016 bring you and your family good health, lots of joy, and an announcement that Bumsso is a real couple. ;) Thanks for the patience on waiting for my chapters. We're in the midway point of this story already! :) Happy reading!

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining**

A hammer slammed against a wall. It ringed and echoed numerous times. Then it became quiet and some mumbling voices was heard in a distance. But the hammer was soon back, banging swiftly again with more revenge.

Thud. Thud. Thud!

"Aish," Yi Jung groan and massaged his forehead to ease his headache. Each time the hammer would slam on the wall, his poor skull felt like the unfortunately target at the other end.

A throbbing pain on the side of his neck instantly sting. He moaned and touched it but felt a big, thick bandage there instead. His eyes blinked open and when his blur vision became clear, he forced his head up at the strange surrounding. He was laying under the blanket of a bed in a dim lit, cubic bedroom. A burning lantern on a desk nearby help shaped a huge shadow on the ceiling, and the only window in the room was covered by wood.

Where am I? he wondered. He dropped his aching head back on the pillow, then swallowed a dry lump in his throat and touched the bandage on his neck again. The pain seem to be fading away and with it came the memories on why he was laying in the bed in the first place.

"Miss Ga Eul," he bellow out and quickly sat up. He needed to find her. At this moment. Right now. Her safety was his first concern. The Pink Sparkle coming in second. His worst nightmare was if she was hurt or gone, and if he learns that she was traveling alone with Dr. Lawlor, then he may have to hurt Dr. Lawlor if the man dares to touch her.

He pulled the blanket off of him and was in his tank top and pants. He patted the pockets of his pants down and was relieved all the items there haven't been touch. His legs, however, were stiff as a rock. In spite of that, he managed to limped off the bed and stood with a crouch. He found his dress shirt on a wooden chair next to the foot of the bed and when he took it, Ga Eul's red dress appeared underneath it.

"Miss Ga Eul?" he whispered, his voice filled of worry. He glanced at his feet and was surprised to see his shoes on the floor next to her one remaining high heels.

"No. Miss Ga Eul." He was panicking now and quickly wore his shirt. A theory ran in his mind that the sound of the hammer outside may be someone hurting Ga Eul with it. He grunted at the thought and while in the middle of buttoning his shirt, the bedroom door gently open. A little brown girl popped her head through it and he instantly froze to stare at her. Seeing a little girl under the same roof was the last thing he thought he'd see. It only grew his curiosity and he had to know if the girl have seen Ga Eul.

"Hi. Do you know where Miss Ga Eul is at?" he asked the little girl in a hoarse tone.

The little girl pinched the side of her nose and studied him. She was thin, had pretty green eyes, and shoulder length hair. She watched Yi Jung for a while, then ran off leaving the door open. Yi Jung slipped his feet into his shoes and chased the little girl. But he didn't have to go far because beyond the door was a kitchen and a small living room. The place was also dimly lit with some burning lanterns at each corner of the room. There was a slanted, broken couch in the living area and a wooden table with four matching chairs in the kitchen.

"Mama! Mama!" the little girl cried, hugging onto her mother's waist.

Her mother was in the kitchen, cooking a pot of food on a cast iron stove. She looked like Pedro, but of course without the mustache and cowboy hat. She jumped in surprise when her daughter hugged her, yet kept a smile on and continued her cooking. "Que? What's the matter, Nina?" the mother asked her daughter.

Nina pointed towards the bedroom door and her mother gasped at seeing Yi Jung. "Oh! Hello."

Yi Jung gave a small nod. "Hello. Ah, do you know where Miss Ga Eul may be?"

"Miss? Miss?" The mother gazed down at Nina and softly spoke in Spanish. Somewhere in those words, Yi Jung heard, "Pedro". Nina nodded and ran to a nearby door. She exited the house and a gust of wind blew in before she can close it again.

"What happen to Miss Ga Eul?" Yi Jung demanded to know.

"Oh, miss? Ga Yel?" Nina's mother pointed towards the door Nina had just left from. "Outside."

Yi Jung opened the door and a new gust of wind blew in his face. He shivered and rubbed both of his shoulders to keep himself warm. Outside was the thunderous sound of hammers and chatters. There were many men carrying large wooden planks from a truck and walking in all directions to the neighboring clay structure homes. They placed the planks onto the windows and used their hammers to nail in the planks. So that's where the noise was coming from, Yi Jung thought, to shield their windows.

He glanced at both directions and realized he was in a village. There was a small dirt road in front of him and many more matching homes throughout the area. The sky was gray and the rapid wind blew small objects everywhere. Someone had their clothes hanging by their front door but a gust tossed one of its shirts from the hanger and into the air. The shirt flew and disappeared behind a neighbor's house.

The laughter and whistle of some men caught Yi Jung's attention. It seem to be coming from a big house down the dirt road. Curious as to what the commotion was all about, he took a few steps onto the road and saw two houses away, a group of men gazing up at a ladder. On top of the ladder was a woman slamming her hammer on a wooden plunk. She had a huge tool belt wrapped around her waist, her hair was in a bun, and she wore thick brown gloves, an oversized black hoodie, blue jeans, and white sneakers. Each time her hammer jammed a nail on the wooden plunk, the men below would whistled and clap their hands in excitement. Yi Jung smirked at seeing a woman hard at work. It was nice knowing that even in this part of the world, women can still be in handy.

"Hey, Mr. So, how are you?" Pedro said from behind.

Yi Jung glanced back and saw Pedro without his hat. He was more bald than Yi Jung expected. "Are we in Honduras?" Yi Jung asked.

Pedro shook his head and sighed. "I'm sorry, Mr. So, but we're still in Guatemala. You were injured so we decided to stop in my hometown village first." He grinned and took a step towards Yi Jung. "You are a very lucky man. The wound on your neck was only a bad graze. If it was another inch closer to your throat, you could had died."

Yi Jung touched the bandage on his neck and was thankful he was still standing and breathing. "Thank you for bringing me here," he said.

"You should thank my sister. Her care and hospitality have really helped you," Pedro replied. He placed a hammer he had in his hand into his belt, then folded his arms across his chest. "Your friend told us the story on how she got the ring on her. She is a sweet woman, your friend. She doesn't deserve to be in this mess. You should had never stole The Pink Sparkle from Dr. Lawlor. It belongs inside his museum. It is for everyone to see, not to keep."

"If that's the case, then why did you and Dr. Lawlor steal it from In Katech?" Yi Jung asked. "I don't see much differences in the way we steal compared to you and him."

"We don't steal for profit," Pedro protest.

Yi Jung smirked. "Profit or not, stealing is stealing."

Pedro gave an annoyed glared at Yi Jung. "If it wasn't for your friend, we could had left you in a ditch somewhere. I don't know why she cares so much about you when you were the one who brought this mess upon her."

She cares so much about me? Yi Jung thought. He knew Ga Eul found him attractive, but attraction is different from caring about someone. "Where is she?" he asked Pedro.

Pedro unfolded his arms and stood up straight. "For the last hour, she have been helping the village barge their windows in preparation for the worst part of this tropical storm we've been having." Pedro swayed his head to where the group of cheering men were at. "She's up on the ladder."

Yi Jung turned his head faster than the wind can blow. He narrowed his eyebrows at the woman on the ladder and can see Ga Eul's rosy cheek. It had never struck him that the handy woman dressed like a tomboy was actually Ga Eul.

She was done covering a second floor window and smiled down at the cheering men. Dr. Lawlor was holding the ladder in place. He waved with one arm to let her know it was safe to come down. She placed her hammer in her tool belt, bit her lower lip, and began to climb down. On the third step, a wind blew through and almost tipped the ladder to its side. Ga Eul squealed and some of the men quickly helped Dr. Lawlor hold the ladder in place again.

"It's okay. I got you," Dr. Lawlor assured her.

Ga Eul looked below again. She was halfway to the bottom. She took in a deep sigh and lower herself to the next step, but a new set of wind came and she suddenly lost her grip and footing. She screamed and tried to grab the ladder again, but the huge glove she wore made it difficult and she wasn't able to grasp the ladder in time. Her body flung into the air and she fell like a shot down plane. All the men scream in shock. They held up their arms as high as they can, waving and hoping that she'll land in them, then maybe they can be her superhero for the day.

"I got you! I got you!" Dr. Lawlor cried out the loudest from the crowd.

Ga Eul can feel her heart racing. She flapped her arms wildly and was prepare to hit the ground with great impact. The worst she can get was a broken back or leg. She braced herself by closing her eyes, then shrieked in surprise when she landed into someone's muscular arms like a princess.

"Miss Ga Eul?" the man who had rescued her said next to her ear.

Ga Eul knew only one person in this neck of the wood would call her "Miss Ga Eul." But it can't be Yi Jung? He was still unconscious in bed the last time I saw him, she thought. She slowly opened her eyes and Yi Jung's face was inches away from hers. "Yi-Yi Jung?" she said, stunned.

"Are you okay?" Yi Jung asked.

Ga Eul quickly shoved herself onto her feet and took a step back from him. "Are you okay?" she mimicked his question, but with more concern.

Some of the men scattered off, assuming Yi Jung must be Ga Eul's boyfriend. Yi Jung opened his mouth and was about to answer Ga Eul, but Dr. Lawlor step in and placed his arm around Ga Eul's shoulder.

"Rose, sorry I wasn't able to save you in time. You're not hurt, right?" Dr. Lawlor chimed in, gazing into Ga Eul's eyes.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it," Ga Eul replied. She smiled and the remaining men roared in happiness to hear she was well.

"Good. I think that's enough work for the day," Dr. Lawlor said. He took off Ga Eul's huge gloves and tool belt and handed it to a man beside him. "Thanks for the gear, Roberto."

Roberto took them and Dr. Lawlor held up his hand for the men's attention. "Be safe tonight, guys. Hopefully our good work today will outlast the storm." He gazed down at Ga Eul and gave her a charming smile. "Come on, let's go back to our place where it's safe."

He guided Ga Eul away with his arm still around her and they walked past Yi Jung without looking at him. Yi Jung stiffly stood, confused and upset. He couldn't believe the whole time he had been bedridden, Ga Eul had been hanging around with Dr. Lawlor.

What's with Dr. Lawlor's arm on Ga Eul's shoulder? And going back to their place? They have a place together? Alone? Yi Jung thought. An image in his mind of Ga Eul in bed with Dr. Lawlor got him angry. He clutched his fists and storm to Ga Eul's side. He needed to know the truth from her or else he won't be able to sleep at night. When he reached her, he relaxed his muscle and gazed at his feet to not show her his jealousy. "So where's this place that the two are staying at?" he bluntly asked.

Ga Eul was startled by his question. She slower her pace with her head down and Dr. Lawlor laughed. "Yi Jung, you're thinking too hard on this," Dr. Lawlor snickered.

Yi Jung glanced at Ga Eul, still waiting for an answer from her, but she bit her lower lip and quicken her pace away from them. Yi Jung took a step forward to chase her, but Dr. Lawlor held him back by pulling onto his shoulder.

"Get your hand off me," Yi Jung said, flinching off Dr. Lawlor's hand.

"Hey, cheer up. Don't let the bad weather and your injury get your adrenaline crazy," Dr. Lawlor quipped.

Yi Jung glared at Dr. Lawlor, then pointed his finger at Dr. Lawlor's face. "You better have not touch or hurt or do anything stupid with her."

Dr. Lawlor shook his head in amusement. "We're in the same boat, Yi Jung. We both want to keep her safe. She has The Pink Sparkle, so of course she's our priority."

Yi Jung walked off, then went back to Dr. Lawlor. "I will keep her safe. Not you. Not Pedro. Not anyone."

Dr. Lawlor grinned. "Well, you should be happy then. She's the reason why you're still alive. Ever since Pedro brought us to this village last night, she haven't left your bedside. Then the moment she step out for some fresh air, you wake up." He chuckled at a thought. "I think she even undressed in front of you when she changed into her new outfit."

Yi Jung blinked in shock and Dr. Lawlor laughed as he walked off. "We better get going. Rosita is cooking us dinner. It's better to eat when the food is still hot."

They headed into the same house Yi Jung had awoken from. The place had a delicious aroma of food in the air and Yi Jung's belly growl. On the small wooden table were four small bowls of potato soup, and some plates with brown rice and pork chops. Ga Eul placed some mugs filled with hot tea by each plate and settled into a seat. She gazed up at Yi Jung and Yi Jung smiled and sat to her right. He sure was happy the image he had earlier of her with Dr. Lawlor was just that, an image and nothing more.

"I didn't expect you to be up so soon," Ga Eul said. "Your neck-"

"I know. It was just a bad gunshot graze. Pedro told me," Yi Jung cut in. He softly sighed. "Miss Ga Eul-"

Dr. Lawlor slammed his mug onto the table. "I can't believe we have to wait for another horrible weather just to get to Honduras. Talk about bad luck."

"Don't worry, my friend. I promise you, I will get you there tomorrow," Pedro assured Dr. Lawlor.

"Yi Jung, Pedro and I going to need you and Rose to wait here tomorrow when we go Honduras," Dr. Lawlor said.

Yi Jung glared at Dr. Lawlor. "Why?"

"It is safer this way," Pedro answer. "There may be dangers out there for your friend."

"No," Yi Jung shook his head. "We're going everywhere with you guys. I'm not going to have us stuck here. What if the both of you never come back? What then, huh?"

"If you want to come with us, then you're going to have to make a deal with us," Dr. Lawlor proposed.

Yi Jung gazed up and down on Dr. Lawlor. "What deal?"

"That when The Pink Sparkles is off of Rose, it belongs to me."

Yi Jung sat back in his chair and glanced at Ga Eul. Ga Eul took a drink from her mug and pretended to not be part of the conversation. Yi Jung thought for a moment, then a smirk gradually formed on his face. "Fine. It's all yours."

Dr. Lawlor grinned, surprise at how easy it was to persuade Yi Jung. "We're taking the bridge Sasha was planning to take to Honduras. It's a further drive from here, but it'll still lead us to where we need to go."

"And when we get to Honduras? Where will we head to first?" Yi Jung asked.

"In Katech's pyramid," Pedro replied. "I believe there are more scriptures on the wall there that Dr. Lawlor and I must had missed. Every writing may be a clue on how to get The Pink Sparkle off."

"Do you know how to read Mayan scriptures?" Yi Jung said.

"I know some, and the ones I usually don't, I ask my good friend, Cadmael. Cadmael is a shaman at a nearby village In Katech was born at."

Ga Eul gulped a chunk of potato down her throat. Hearing Pedro mention In Katech's birth town made things surreal. "What about Sasha and her men? What if they didn't get killed in the crash and find this village before we leave tomorrow?" she speculated.

"The cliff they fell off of is very steep. It's likely they didn't survive it," Pedro insisted.

Dr. Lawlor took Ga Eul's hand on top of the table. "Don't worry, Rose. If they are alive, I'll make sure they won't ever hurt you again."

Yi Jung almost stood up at seeing their skinship. He punched the table with his fist instead. "You guys should had gone back to make sure that they weren't alive," he said. He got out of his seat and held out his hand at Pedro. "Give me the keys to your jeep."

Ga Eul jumped up. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To make sure Sasha and her men are dead," Yi Jung replied, his eyes still on Pedro.

"Yi Jung, there's a storm coming in any minute now. You shouldn't go out there."

Yi Jung glared at Ga Eul. "It's my job to keep you safe, so it's important for me to know that Sasha is dead and won't be after us anymore."

Ga Eul grabbed Yi Jung's arm when he tried to reach further towards Pedro. She wished she would had never brought up Sasha's name. "Yi Jung, please. Don't go," she pleaded.

A thunder suddenly roared outside and the sound of rain trickled on the roof. Rosita had been washing some dishes at the kitchen sink and listening in on their conversation. She turned the faucet off and faced Yi Jung. "Mister, listen to your miss. Don't go. The woman is dead. I am sure."

Yi Jung relented and slowly dropped his arm. His eyes nervously darted around the kitchen as if he wasn't satisfied with the outcome. He wanted to get away from the room and relax. "Ah, in that case, I'm going to go wash up," he insisted.

Pedro and Dr. Lawlor went back to finish their dinner and Rosita helped Yi Jung take off the bandage on his neck. The wound haven't fully healed yet, but left a visible red scar. Rosita had Nina bring over a clean dress shirt and jeans from their home that used to belong to her husband. She handed them to Yi Jung and smiled. "My esposo's clothes. For you," she said.

Yi Jung thanked her and went to take a long, warm bath. It was the most comfortable bath he had taken in decades. If his drowsy head didn't dip in the water, he would had fallen asleep without knowing it. He washed himself until he was fresh and spotless, then he left the bathroom only to find Dr. Lawlor sleeping on the floor of the living room.

"Where's everyone? Where's Miss Ga-Rose?" Yi Jung said, confused.

Dr. Lawlor titled his head up from the floor, watched Yi Jung for a second, then dropped his head back to where it belonged. "Oh. Pedro went to sleep over at his sister's place and Rose's in the bedroom," he yawned.

Ga Eul had been fixing the sheet on the bed when Yi Jung walked in. "Rosita brought over some new sheets. The bed's ready for you now," she smiled.

Yi Jung sighed, amazed that Ga Eul was planning to sleep in the same room with Dr. Lawlor. There was no way in hell he was going to allow that to happen. "Miss Ga Eul, you should take the bed. I'll go sleep in the living room with Dr. Lawlor," he suggested.

Ga Eul froze with a pillow in her hands. "But Yi Jung-"

The door quickly slammed shut and Ga Eul stood alone in the bedroom. She let out a heavy sigh, organized the pillows on the bed, then went to open the door again. Dr. Lawlor had moved to sleep on the couch and Yi Jung took his spot on the floor by the front of the bedroom door.

"Yi Jung, you're hurt. You should sleep on the bed," Ga Eul scolded him.

Yi Jung patted the middle of his pillow and tossed his head on it. "Aish. Just take the bed, will you? I'm feeling better now. Good night."

Ga Eul pouted, annoyed at how Yi Jung can still get things his way. She wanted to scold him again, but knew it was pointless. She closed the door and went to the bed.

The thunder erupted louder outside, the wind howl like a wolf, and the rain clattered on the roof like pebbles being pour down from the sky. Ga Eul laid quietly on the bed with the lantern still burning. The storm terrified her and she prayed that no trees will break and crush their small home. She tossed to her side, pulled the blanket up to her neck, and closed her eyes.

It must had been no more than ten minutes when she realize that the flame in the lantern had gone out. Afraid of the dark, her hand wander in the pitch black, searching for the lantern at the nearby desk. She found the lantern but the touch surprised her. The lantern was as cold as ice. Still, she quickly turned the switch on and the flame slowly shined her room again.

As the flame grew in the lantern, an enormous shadow beamed at the ceiling. She didn't remember seeing a shadow that huge earlier and can tell it was coming from the door. Her eyes followed the shadow on the ceiling until it landed on a dark, big figure by the foot of her bed. Her muscle tensed in fear. Her breathing became heavy. The figure she was seeing was Igor.

Igor was covered in a slime of mud, but the scar on his cheek was visible and his eyes were bright like laser. He dragged his feet towards Ga Eul with both of his palms exposed. "Pink Sparkle," he kept repeating. "Pink Sparkle."

Ga Eul screamed from the top of her lungs. She wanted to run out of the room and hide behind Yi Jung, but he had trapped her in the bed with nowhere to go. She whimpered and pulled the blanket over her head, and when she felt his large hands grabbing her wrists, she kicked and threw punches at him. "Get away from me! Leave me alone!" she cried.

Yet her cries and fight only got him more aggressive. His large hands held her wrist tightly and he vigorously shook her like she was a puppet. She screamed again and after a short struggle, she was able to get her right hand loose. She swung a fist in the air and slapped him right on his cheek.

"Aish!" he groaned as he released her wrist.

Ga Eul was free and quickly sat up. She held up her fists like a boxer and was ready to hurt him again if he attempt to touch her.

But Igor was gone, and it was only Yi Jung.

"Omo! I'm so sorry, Yi Jung. Are you okay?" Ga Eul shrieked and covered her mouth.

Yi Jung cringed with one hand on his cheek. He sluggish sat on the side of the bed and glared at Ga Eul. "I'm fine," he replied. "But I don't know about you."

Ga Eul lower her hands from her mouth, but was still shaken. "I just had a bad dream. It was Igor and he was going to strangle or kill me, so I got scared and was trying to fight him off..." Her voice trailed off when Yi Jung stood up from the bed.

"There's no Igor, Miss Ga Eul. He's dead, remember?" He headed to the door in his boxer short and a white tank top. "Are you going to be okay?"

Ga Eul wasn't sure, but nodded.

"Well, goodnight," Yi Jung said with a shrug. He had his hand on the doorknob and was about to close to the door when Ga Eul called out his name. "Yes?" he answer her.

Ga Eul hugged her knees and clenched the blanket. She was rocking back and forth a little, apprehensive for what she was going to say next. "Is it okay if you leave the door open?"

Yi Jung smile. "Sure," he agreed. He left the room with the door wide open.

Ga Eul watched him lay on the floor and pull a blanket over his body. Knowing how close Yi Jung was made her less stress. She smiled as she snuggled under her blanket and forced herself to fall back asleep, but a new noise was distracting her. She poked her head from her blanket and can see Yi Jung through the faint light. He had both of his hands behind his head and was staring at the ceiling.

"Yi Jung," she called to him.

"Hmm?" he responded.

"Is that Dr. Lawlor snoring?"

Yi Jung sighed. "Now you know why I haven't slept yet."

Ga Eul scoffed at the irritating noise, then buried her face into her pillow and covered her ears. Maybe if she daydream of something nice, Dr. Lawlor's snores may drown out of her mind. But his loud snores was beating the thunderous storm from outside and she couldn't understand how he can sleep so soundly. Even if I clang a cymbal next to his ears, he probably won't flinch a muscle, she thought.

She glanced back at Yi Jung and he was still staring at the same spot in the ceiling. "Yi Jung, may you please close the door?" she requested.

Yi Jung sighed, but got up. "Need a cookie too since I'm up?"

Ga Eul pursed her lips. "Yes, and a cup of milk too, please," she mocked back at him.

Yi Jung smirked and closed the door. The bedroom was quiet again except for the wind and thunder from outside. Ga Eul snuggled deep under her blanket again and felt blessed for not having to hear Dr. Lawlor's snores anymore. Yet something inside her was making her feel guilty. Yi Jung was still on the other side of the door, listening to Dr. Lawlor. Ga Eul thought for a while, then climbed out of the bed and prodded her head out of the crack door.

"Yi Jung? Are you asleep yet?" she whispered loud enough for Yi Jung to hear her.

"What it is? Looking for more cookie and milk?" he teased.

Ga Eul scoffed, but her eyes nervously darted around. "Do you...do you want to come sleep in the room?" she asked.

Yi Jung pulled his blanket up and almost cover his mouth. "Your room is too small and I'm perfectly fine out here, but thanks for the offer though."

Ga Eul scanned the floor in her room. It was definitely small and would not fit Yi Jung, let alone her. Maybe if she carry the table and chair out, then perhaps there may be some space. Still, it was dark, cold, and too much work. Her eyes gazed at her last option. The bed.

She bit her bottom lip and looked down at Yi Jung again. "Maybe you can...sleep on the bed?"

"No, I don't want you to sleep on the floor," Yi Jung snapped.

"I mean," she fidgeted her hand on the door knob. "Sleep with me. On the bed."

Yi Jung softly chuckle. "Miss Ga Eul, I'm going to end up taking all the space on the bed. Just let it be, will you?" He tossed to his side to face away from Ga Eul.

"Well, we don't have to face each other. Plus, we already slept together once." She heard Yi Jung chuckling again. "I meant, in the truck. When I was on your lap and we took a nap."

Yi Jung was quiet for a long moment, then he sat up and rubbed the cheek Ga Eul had injured. "Okay, I'll sleep on the bed," he said in a tone as if Ga Eul had forced him.

Ga Eul swung the door open wider while Yi Jung carried his clothes and pillow into the bedroom. He stopped halfway before she can close the door and smiled at her. "Thanks, Miss Ga Eul."

Ga Eul smiled back, bit her bottom lip, and closed the door.


	17. Action Speaks Louder Than Words

**AN:** Remember at the beginning of this story when I said this story was originally rated M? Well, I couldn't help myself and let my naughty side slip. :P So please be advised, this chapter will be  rated M for some sexual content. (What do you expect when you have SoEul in the same bed? LOL)

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 **Chapter 17: Action Speaks Louder Than Words**

The crack of a thunder suddenly woke Ga Eul. She yawned but kept her tired eyes shut. A warm sensation burned her skin and she smiled at how lucky she was to be sleeping under a soft, cozy blanket. Her nose poked forward and it brushed against a hot surface. It startled her, so she sniffed and quickly recognized the flowery scent. It was the same scent like the bar of soap she had used earlier when she was taking a bath. But why would this room be filled with the smell of soap? she wondered.

She slowly open her eyes and almost jerk her head back. Just a breath away from her face was Yi Jung's bare chest. He was still soundly asleep, his breathing was soft and calm. She gazed down and saw his arm was over her waist. He was keeping her warm by cuddling her like she was his favorite stuffed animal.

She questioned how they got into this new position. She clearly remembered they were facing the opposite direction when they got in bed an hour or so ago. The only touch they shared were the touch of their backs, then they instantly fell asleep before they even knew it. She thought of turning around or maybe crawling out of bed. It was never her intention to be this close to him. Especially a man she once thought was an arrogant, perverted, playboy.

Still, her eyes drifted and were magical latched onto his handsome face. She studied every inch of it; his arched eyebrows, long lashes, moist lips and pointy nose. Even the wrinkles and textures of his smooth skin, she found interesting. She examined him so closely that if she was to have a pop quiz on his facial features right now, she would pass it with flying colors. Her eyes gazed down to his Adam's apple, firm chest, and broad shoulder. His upper body was just as flawless as his face, she concluded. She remember the time when she saw him half nude on her father's plane, and her palms became sweaty just thinking at how a few inches away underneath his tank top, was his sexy abs.

"Oh," she mutter. She clasp her hands onto her chest and stretched her body as thin as a pancake. He had suddenly squeezed her into his arms and held her closer than before.

Assuming he was awake, she glanced at his face, but his eyelids were still shut without a flinch. A low wheezing noise blew from his nostril and she can feel his hot breath on her forehead through his half open mouth. Being this close to him made her feel wanted and protected. Her heart began to beat fast and her spine happily tingled. She have never felt this new feeling before, to be in a man's caring and secured arm. It was a longing feeling that every woman would want from a man.

She smiled at the serenity, rested her forehead on his chest, then closed her eyes and took in his scent. If she can go to bed like this every night, she would be spoiled by all the Gods from every religion that existed. Maybe this is how In Katech's lover felt when she was in In Katech's arms? she marveled, deep in her thoughts.

"Miss Ga Eul," she heard a half awaken Yi Jung whispered. She glanced up and saw a surprise look on his face. He slowly released his arm from her and planted his back flat on the bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know I was holding you."

Ga Eul shudder from the cold air that had selfishly been waiting to come in between them. She pulled the blanket higher and glared down. "It's okay. I'm sorry too," she replied.

Yi Jung had been gazing at the ceiling above, but her apology forced him to look at her. "You have nothing to apologize about. It's my fault. I told you-I knew this would happen." He grunted and climbed out of the bed. "I should go back and sleep by the door again. This bed can't fit the both of us, especially my big, fat body."

Ga Eul sat up and watched him gathered his pillow and clothes. Seeing him leave was getting her upset. She craved for his warmth, his comfort, and security. Unsure on how to stop him, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "If you're going to sleep on the floor, then I'm going with you."

Yi Jung was about to open the door, but froze and glared at her. "Miss Ga Eul, don't be silly."

"I'm not being silly. I'm serious. I'm going to sleep wherever you sleep you at." She took her pillow and hugged it, then bit her lower lip.

The biting of her lip had the pupil in Yi Jung's eyes grow bigger than the burning flame in the nearby lantern. He liked how her light skin dazzled from the reflection of the flame. It gave her a beautiful glow like an angel sent from heaven. He found her cute in her white shirt and her long messy hair made her sassy and willing to be carefree. But there was more to her innocent appearances which was turning him on. It was also the way she spoke; her tone was sweet, yet very needy. He wanted to jump on the bed and gaze in her sparkling eyes, then caress her rosy cheeks and kiss her plump lips. A country girl like Ga Eul who I found annoying and always in my way, is now getting me aroused? The irony of life, he told himself.

He took a step towards her, but hesitated and became still. Did she really meant what she said? That she wanted to sleep wherever he slept at? He cleared his throat to not sound so eager. "Miss Ga Eul."

Ga Eul released her pillow and almost got out bed. "Yi Jung," her voice cracked.

His urges was killing him, then to hear her call his name was enough to make his feet move closer to the bed. He dropped his clothes and pillow on the floor, then crawled on the bed towards her like a hungry lion after its prey. When their faces mirrored one another, they gazed into each other's eyes. That moment of when the first bumped into each other, suddenly reappeared. Yi Jung saw the sparkle in her mystical right eye again and it shined as brightly as the ring on her finger. The Pink Sparkle and Ga Eul were meant to be together, he realized.

His natural casanova instinct was to grab her and kiss her, so he was surprised when his body became numb and reluctant. Numb of her reaction and reluctant that she may hate his aggressive behavior. She was too precious for him to make the wrong first impression. He needed to make this moment as special as possible. Not just for her, but for him as well.

To his relief, her trembling arms rose and she placed them his shoulders. It was a sign she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He allowed her to guide his weight on top of her body. They laid in bed unmoved with their eyes still glued together. After a long gaze and realizing how surreal the moment was, he gently caressed her cheek and she smiled at his touch. There has never been a woman that he wanted to kiss so badly.

"Miss Ga Eul, may I...kiss you?" he asked with deep emotions and respect.

Ga Eul grinned from ear to ear, amazed to hear such a request. "Do you always ask a woman for permission?" she wanted to know.

Yi Jung grinned back at her. "No, you're actually my first."

"Then let me be your last as well," she whispered.

Those pleasing words made him want to show her all the bliss of what it meant to be loved by him. He lower his lips towards her until he can taste her luscious lips. There has been many female lips he had tasted in his young casanova life, yet none were as delicious as the one in front of him. They kissed softly at first, enjoying the sweetness of their mouths. Then the sparks between them grew like wildfires and their kisses and playful hands became hot and tense.

His tongue glided her bottom lip, urging for more in which she granted. She moaned when his wet tongue plunged in and explored every sweet spot in her mouth. She was enveloped in his loving charm and slipped her tongue in his mouth as well. Their tongues mated like they were meant to be, and they embraced aggressively, wanting more and more of each other.

He freed his lips from her mouth to her neck, showing some love to them as well. She cheerfully shriek when he sucked them, then softly moaned as his hand groped her breast. Her fingers clenched on the back of his tank top, unaware she was actually pulling it up. He notice what she was doing and instantly lean back, to which she gasp when he took off his tank top and tossed it to the side.

The smell of his sweaty body and seeing his bare abs enticed her so much, she wanted him back in her arms. She reached for him, but his right hand startled her when it went under her shirt and traveled to her back. Slowly and surely, she knew what it meant and she allowed him to undress her, even helping him pull off her undergarment.

Her exquisite and naked skin had his blood rushing and spiking the most pleasurable part of a his body. He needed to be inside of her now or his casanova charms will break out and go mad. "Miss Ga Eul, you're so...beautiful," he tried to say, not wanting to admit yet how much he wanted her. He kissed the side of her mouth and gazed at her lovely face. "Miss Ga Eul? May I...have you tonight?" he asked with urges.

Ga Eul clutched onto his bulging biceps and shyly nodded once. He grinned and to her surprise, he suddenly reach down to the floor. "Yi Jung?" she said, confused.

Yi Jung's hand yanked his wallet out from the pocket of his pants, his fingers fumbled through his wallet until it found what it was looking for. Ga Eul quickly sense what was going on. She wanted to gaze below his waist and watch him slip on his rubber, but her nerves got the best of her, so she kept her eyes on his gorgeous upper body.

He pulled her arms over his back and settle on top of her once again. The perkiness of her round breast thrilled him and he was ready to enlighten her with every stars and fireworks. They kissed again with more passion; his hot body on her was getting her excited and when he gently sucked the bottom of her earlobe, she giddily shiver at the cool and tingly sensation that soared throughout her bones. His kisses went down her breast and he ran his hands on her silky thighs. She held the back of his head and neck, and moaned when he fondled her in places she never thought any man would.

"Yi Jung," she spoke with hunger for more of his enchanting love.

Yi Jung trapped her mouth with his again, kissing and feeling the joy of having her beautiful body underneath him. "Miss Ga Eul," he breath against her wet lips. "I want you now," he finally confessed.

Ga Eul smiled on his lips, shy yet delighted to know how much he wanted her. "I want you too," her voice was low and shaky.

Yi Jung's hands grip onto her legs, and gradually, gently, he settled his lower body in between them. He gazed into her innocent eyes, wanting to make sure this is what she also wanted, and when her pupil dilated as if in agreement, he brushed his lips on hers, then entered her with much love and passion. She instantly responded to the wild emotion that burned below her, and moaned at the desires she have waited so long for, the bliss of them being together as one.

The thunder roar and the rain poured on the rooftop yet the mist and sound in their bedroom was steamy with their heavy breathing. Yi Jung slowly grinded Ga Eul, not wanting to hurt her, and she moved in tune with him, professing she was ready for more. Their eyes were fixed without a blink, unwilling to miss a second of their sweet wonders, and her arms slided back and forth on his bare back, embracing him closer in fear she may lose him forever.

The quicker and deeper Yi Jung moved in on her, the more the love between them was about to burst. Ga Eul was becoming a woman. Yi Jung was elated. He was so overcome with pleasure, he couldn't think straight. He gasp and panted and tried to contain himself, but the tightness of her, along with her lovely body was too much to handle. He let out a moan at the same time a thunder erupted, then his body gradually limped and he gently pulled himself out.

He tossed to her side and placed both of his hands on face. He was shocked and upset. Baffled and embarrassed. This has never happen to him before. Definitely not to the best Korean casanova, Mr. So Yi Jung. He had came quicker than he had hoped for and he was filled with disappointment. It has always been his job to let his women know what he was capable. He can always last much longer, for hours and with two or three women in one take. Yet when it came down to sharing his charming skills with the one girl he desired the most for, he couldn't even last for more than five minutes.

Ga Eul was cover in a sheer layer of sweat yet she pulled the blankets to shield her breast. She hover towards Yi Jung, wanting to cradle the man she yearn for, but he flinched at her touch and rubbed his forehead.

"What's the matter?" Ga Eul asked, worried she may have done something wrong.

Yi Jung deeply sighed and spoke through his breath. "I'm sorry-Did I? Did I hurt you?"

Ga Eul lower her eyes, confused at his apology. "No, Yi Jung. You were amazing."

Amazing? I was only getting started, baby, he thought. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, realizing she may not have known what had just happened. Her innocence was pure and genuine, and he knew for sure now that he had taken the most treasured part of her; her virginity.

He lower his hands from his face and turned towards her. She was so stunning, so elegant. How can he be so lucky to be laying next to a beautiful being? Now wasn't the time to get angry and question his ego. It was the time to cherish the moment with this amazing, special woman.

The back of his fingers brushed her blushed cheek and she took his hand and kissed his fingers. "Yi Jung," she said in harmony.

He smiled and pulled her hands to kiss her fingers as well. "Miss Ga Eul," he said, his nervous eyes trying to connect with hers. "Isn't it crazy how the world works? A day ago we were on each other's nerves. And look at us now."

Ga Eul beamed in happiness. "Right. Who would had thought a clumsy girl like me would be in bed with a playboy?"

Yi Jung smirked. "You're not clumsy, you're adorable."

Ga Eul was quiet for a second, then stuck out her tongue. "And you're still a playboy."

Yi Jung chuckled. "But you're already showing me how to not be one."

"Really? I am? How so?"

Yi Jung lean in and kissed her forehead. "By just being your beautiful self."

The words made Ga Eul's heart skipped. "Yi Jung," she giggled, hiding her shy face in his neck.

Yi Jung lifted her face up by her chin and she smiled upon seeing the dimple on his cheek. He removed the blanket she had been covering herself with and admired her glowing skin again. "Miss Ga Eul, let me show you how much you truly mean to me."

Ga Eul's smile grew wide. "Stop talking and just show me already."

Yi Jung smirked and his lips took hers, caressing it with his hungry, fierce emotions. Ga Eul cringe in happiness and they embraced every part of their bodies, then drifted into a pleasant sensation of ecstasy together. Yi Jung rocked his body in a steady, sensuous motion and Ga Eul's long, hard nails dug deep into his bare back. They moaned. They panted. They whispered each other's names. The electricity they were feeling was so magnificent, even a poet can't write and explain the love they were creating.

When the wind, rain, and thunder died down, and the sun was on the verge of rising behind the gray clouds, did they finally untangled themselves, and fell asleep holding each other as closely as possible.


	18. Second Chance At Life

**Chapter 18: Second Chance At Life**

"Como...como es-tas?" Ji Hoo said, tapping on a "Spanish 101" app on his cell phone. He readjusted an earphone on his ear, hoping to get a clearer audio. "How-are-you? Como es-tas?" he repeated the words.

"Yah, you expect to learn Spanish within a day?" Jun Pyo asked, leaning over his seat to watch Ji Hoo hard at work.

Ji Hoo glanced up at Jun Pyo. "Que pa-sa? What's up?"

"Aish, never mind," Jun Pyo retorted, gazing ahead again.

They were sitting in a taxi van, deep in a forest and up on a hillside of Guatemala. The sky was partly cloudy and the wind was gone, but the long flight from South Korea and the overnight stay at the small airport had them exhausted and feeling out of place. Still, their mind was set to find Yi Jung and Ga Eul, and thanks to Yaromir who was able to contacted one of Sasha's men before they landed, they able to find out that the couple were taken to a church.

"If we arrive at this church and is told that our friends were never there, I'm going to personally toss you off this cliff," Woo Bin said to Yaromir, staring at the edge of a cliff through the van's window.

Yaromir sat in between Woo Bin and Ji Hoo at the back seat. His hands was free from the cuff he had previously worn and was casually dressed in a gray sweater with blue jeans. "San Marcos Church, I tell you. Denis told me they were going to eat dinner and sleep there," Yaromir retaliated.

Woo Bin smirked, half hoping that Yaromir was lying so he can have a good excuse to hurt one of Sasha's men again. "Yo, Julio! Are we almost there yet?" he called out to the driver.

"The church? Si, señor! Almost there," Julio replied back in a Spanish accent.

Jan Di had her head rested on the side of Jun Pyo's shoulder. She tilted it up to drink some water from a bottle on her lap, then rested it again on Jun Pyo's shoulder. "That weather last night was horrible," she whined. "It was cold, and loud, and annoying. I thought the terminal building was going to break by how crazy the wind blew. How can anyone sleep through something like that?"

Jun Pyo sighed. "It was a bad night, but I've been through worst storm than that."

Jan Di sat up and glared at him. "Really? Like where?"

"About a year and a half ago in the Philippines. We were on a mission to break into a-," Jun Pyo grunted, not wanting to share the juicy details of the F4's task with her. "Aish. Anyways, I think it was a typhoon that hit the country. Hundreds of homes were destroyed. It was awful."

"That does sound awful," Jan Di agreed. Her thoughts drifted to Ga Eul and she wondered if her friend had a good night. "I hope Ga Eul's okay."

Jun Pyo shrugged. "I don't see why she shouldn't be. She's with Yi Jung."

Jan Di instantly gave Jun Pyo a dirty glanced. "Excuse me? The perverted Yi Jung will take care of my friend? I can't trust him just like I can't trust that Russia woman."

Jun Pyo laughed and folded his arms on his chest. "Well, I guess you do have a good reason. Yi Jung is a casanova. He rarely last a week without a woman, and it's been what? Three or four days now since he's been with Ga Eul?"

"Yah!" Jan Di cried, not wanting to hear how Yi Jung can use his charm on Ga Eul. She pouted and gazed out the window, but the lingering thought of a gullible Ga Eul with a sex predator scared her. "That pervert better not touch my Ga Eul," Jan Di mumbled to herself.

Jun Pyo can see how protective Jan Di was of her friend. He needed to change the subject or Jan Di may get more upset. "Hmm, my shoulder is getting kind of cold again," he moaned, massaging and flexing his arm.

Jan Di glared at him. "My head's not your heating pad," she quipped before facing the window again.

The remarked had Jun Pyo flinching in surprise, but he pretended he didn't know what she was talking about. Instead he quietly grunted, and decided it was best to not escalate her temper. He gazed ahead of him again and saw they were arriving to a line of parked cars. "What's going on?" he asked.

A group of camouflage shirt men with rifles and shotguns in their hands were waving at them to stop their taxi van. Julio slowly drove and parked the van when he reached the parked cars. Some of the camouflage men approached their van, gazing inside through the untinted windows. Ji Hoo took off his earphone and smiled and bowed at them, but they only responded with an unhappy glare. One of them spoke animatedly with Julio in Spanish, forcing the F3 men to get uneasy.

"You think they're some kind of drug cartel gang?" Jun Pyo wondered out loud.

"Drug cartel?" Jan Di gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. She remembered one night she was bored and happened to stumbled on an internet documentary about the menacing gang. "Omo. I never thought I'll see these people in person. They're not going to hurt us, are they?"

"I don't know. We are in their territory now," Woo Bin whispered.

"Ah!?" Jan Di cried in shock. It was definitely an answer she wasn't looking for.

They watched Julio nodding and pointing to his right, then after a few chuckle and jokes, he shifted the gear of the van into drive and slowly drove past the parked cars.

"Is everything okay?" Woo Bin asked when they were a distance away.

"Si, señor," Julio nodded. "They are the government military, only here for the bad weather. They just warn me of the broken bridge ahead and to be careful of the road."

"Broken bridge?" Ji Hoo pondered. "Is this a bridge we'll need to go on?"

"No worry about the bridge, señor. We will arrive at the church before the bridge," Julio answered.

The warning about the road wasn't a joke. There were lots broken trees and branches scattered throughout it. Luckily for them, a few of the military men were already there, cleaning and clearing the way. The road was also muddy with many puddles that Julio had tried his best to avoid them by weaving the van left and right, hoping the tires won't get stuck.

They soon approached a diverge road and saw a tow truck rolling in a small car from a cliff. The front of the car was smashed in like it was hit head on by a train and all the windows were shattered with a missing back door. The engine on the tow truck roar loudly as it continue to place the smashed car on its flatbed. Next to the tow truck was an ambulance vehicle with its red siren lights beaming brightly. The ambulance was backing out and leaving the scene; it slowly drove past them towards the opposite direction.

"Man, looked like some people had a rough night," Woo Bin said.

The taxi van turned right, heading on the path to the church when again they saw another ambulance vehicle driving past them. "What's with all these ambulances?" Jun Pyo said, confused.

"I think, maybe from the bad weather," Julio speculated.

The sun peaked from behind the white clouds; it shined down on them when they arrived at the town of San Marcos church. The place seem to had survived the storm, although there was rarely anyone out except a few lucky stray dogs. The taxi van stopped in front of the church and they saw some teenagers cleaning and sweeping the surround area. They stepped out of the van and took in the fresh air, then headed to the front entrance.

"Hello! Hello!" a nun greeted them before they can reach the entrance. She approached them with a nonchalant gaze. "I'm Sister Marie. How may I help you?"

Ji Hoo smiled and gave a small bow. "Hola, Sister. I am looking for...me am-me-yo?"

Sister Marie glanced at Ji Hoo, then at the group beside him. "Am-me-yo?" she asked in confusion.

"Friend?" Ji Hoo translated it English.

"Oh. I'm sorry, but I don't know your friends," Sister Marie replied.

"Is this San Marcos church?" Jun Pyo spoke up.

Sister Marie nodded. "Yes, it is-"

"Two Koreans, a male and a female. They weren't here recently?" Woo Bin holler.

"Please, the female is my best friend," Jan Di desperately added.

Sister Marie's eyes darted to the ground. She didn't have on her usual gracious smile. "I think it's best if you guys continue on your way," she said, almost in a whisper. She respectful gave a small bow to them and walked off with her eyes still on the ground.

Jan Di whimpered and crouched down. "I can't believe Ga Eul's not here," she uttered.

Woo Bin didn't waste any time and rushed into Yaromir's face. "They were never at this church, were they?"

"I-but-Denis said-" Yaromir stuttered with his hands on top of his head.

"He's lying to us," Jun Pyo proclaimed in Korean so Yaromir wouldn't understand him. "He's just making stuff up along the way so we can't find Yi Jung and Ga Eul. They're probably in Honduras already, or for we all know, maybe still in Las Vegas."

Woo Bin grabbed the collar of Yaromir's sweater. "Time go visit the cliff again," he barked.

Yaromir panic and can tell from the F3 men's expression that things were going sour. ""No!" he cried. "I'm telling you, I heard this from Denis, 'San Marcos church'."

Ji Hoo smiled and shook his head. "Guys, we should give Yaromir one last chance."

"Why? So he can lie to us again?" Jun Pyo scoffed.

Ji Hoo pulled out Yaromir's cell phone from his pants pocket. "Call Denis again and asked him where they're at right now."

"Seriously, Ji Hoo?" Jun Pyo said, rolling his eyes and tossing his arms in the air.

"Aish. Just let him call Denis," Woo Bin agreed with Ji Hoo. He released Yaromir's sweater with a fierce shove. "This is your last chance, bro. If you lie to us again, then you can expect your body to rot in this country."

Yaromir stood up straight and nervously fixed his sweater in place. He took his cell phone from Ji Hoo and connected with Denis' number; however, the phone line went straight to Denis' voicemail. "No answer," Yaromir's voice trembled.

"Then call Sasha," Woo Bin ordered.

Yaromir dialed Sasha's number. It ringed five times, then also went to voicemail. Yaromir slowly lower his phone from his ear and shook his head.

"Aish," Jun Pyo grunted, kicking a pebble on the ground. "We should had never trusted this jerk!"

A sudden loud crack boomed in the distance and the F3 men quickly scanned their surrounding, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. At the corner of the church, they saw an American teenager running towards them, waving his arms wildly in the air. "Help! Brad and Angelina are hurt!" the teen cried.

Following their instinct, Woo Bin dragged Yaromir and they followed the teen to the back of the church. "What happen?" Ji Hoo asked the teen.

"We were cleaning the yard and-and-," the teen said through his breath. "-and one of the branches from a tree, it suddenly broke and fell on Brad and Angelina."

They reached the back of the church and saw a big oak tree, or at least what was left of it. Half of its branches were missing and below the tree was Sister Marie and a group of teenagers, panicking and going crazy around a huge branch. The F3 men didn't realize how big and wide the branch was until they stood beside it. It was almost their height and covered most of Brad and Angelina's bodies; only their knees and below were exposed.

"Oh! Please help get this branch off these children," Sister Marie cried at the F3 men. "The children are hurt, please!"

"Grab that side, Jun Pyo!" Woo Bin said, pointing to his right.

Brad and Angelina screamed and cried for help as the F3 men quickly circle the branch and tried to carry it off. They huffed and puffed, and when they had trouble lifting the branch off, Yaromir and a few of the teens assisted them. Together and at the count of three, everyone gave out a loud grunt and carried the branch, then dropped it to the side when Brad and Angelina appeared.

Sister Marie and some of the teens ran to them to check on their conditions. "Quick, go tell Sister Cristina we need a nurse," Sister Marie ordered one of the teens.

Jan Di stepped forward, hovering above the crowd. "I can help. I'm a nurse."

Sister Marie gazed at Jan Di and nodded. Jan Di got down to her knees and was relieved to see that Brad and Angelina only had some minor bruises and bumps. Still, her medical instinct kicked in and she was worried there may be some internal bleeding. "We should take them to the hospital just to be safe," Jan Di said. "I'm going to need some antibiotics for now."

"Joseph, in my room, you'll find my first aid bag," Sister Marie said. The teen who had called the F3 men for help obeyed Sister Marie and ran off.

The F3 men were also relieved to learn that the injuries of the two teens weren't as bad. All the teens thanked them and Yaromir for their generous help on saving Brad and Angelina. Even Sister Marie got in the act and gave each of them a cup of hot tea and a necklace with a cross.

"We don't deserve this," Ji Hoo said, not wanting to accept the necklace.

"Yes, you do," Sister Marie insisted. She forced and place the necklace around Ji Hoo's neck. "You guys are also invited to lunch. We'll be having corn and chili," she said to the men.

Since the closest hospital was over an hour drive away, it was taking long for the ambulance to arrive. The nuns from the church assisted the hobbling Brad and Angelina inside while the teens went back to clean the yard. Yaromir and the F3 men decided to volunteer and help, hoping to get the place clean faster so there would be less stress and an early lunch for everyone.

Jan Di took some gloves and wanted to help as well, but after being scolded by Jun Pyo to get some rest from aiding Brad and Angelina, she decided to listen to him and went to sit in a nearby chair with a cup of tea. The warm tea was exactly what she needed at the moment. It had a pleasant minty cinnamon taste that enkindled her spirit. She continued drinking the tea, musing if she should ask for second, and watched and admired the hard working teens.

"Anyong haseyo," she heard a girl say to her left.

She faced the girl and saw Abby a few feet away. "Anyong haseyo," she cheered back with a bow. Seeing another Korean person other than the F3 men made her happy.

Abby inch in closer to her and smiled after adjusting her eyeglass. "Are you from South Korea?" Abby spoke in Korean.

Jan Di enthusiastically nodded. "Yes, I am, and you're from there too?"

"Hm. Actually I'm from the states, but my parents were born in South Korea."

"Oh," Jan Di replied. "So what are you doing here in Central America?"

"I'm here with this volunteer group from my high school. We-" Abby instantly became quiet and had a deja vu moment.

"What is it?" Jan Di asked, placing her cup of tea by her feet.

Abby rubbed the back of her neck and giggled. "It's just that, I recently told another Korean woman the same thing I'm telling you now."

Another Korean woman? Jan Di thought. She pursed her lips and sat up. "Is this other Korean woman named...Chu Ga Eul?"

Abby's eyes grew big. "Yes, that's it! Ga Eul! Do you know her?"

"Omo," Jan Di jumped out her chair and took Abby's hands. The touch of Abby's hands reminded her of Ga Eul that she danced up and down in excitement. This was the closest she has been next to Ga Eul in days. "Of course, I know Ga Eul! She's my best friend. Where did you meet her at? Was she here at this church?"

Abby giggled, dancing along with Jan Di. "Yes! She was here with her boyfriend and a group of tourists-"

Jan Di suddenly froze and released Abby's hands. "Her boyfriend?" she coughed out the words.

"Yeah, her and her boyfriend sat very close together when we picked them up on our bus. I heard them talking about running off alone somewhere." Abby grinned. "Ga Eul had on a huge diamond ring. She told me she wasn't married, but I think she's here to elope with her boyfriend."

Jan Di frown, upset and worried that Yi Jung may be leading Ga Eul on just like how Jun Pyo predicted. She groaned at the thought, but wanted other answers. "Did you hear where they were running to?"

Abby contemplated for a few seconds with a finger on her lips. "Hmm. I can't recall where they were going," she shrugged. "Sorry."

"But were they here at this church?" Jan Di asked for confirmation.

"Uh-huh, but I think they left very early this morning. I haven't seen them since last night."

I knew Yaromir can't be lying to us! The Russian woman must had taken them to Honduras this morning. We're only a few hours behind them, Jan Di thought.

She noticed the F3 men strolling to the front of the church and she had to share the good news with them. She grabbed Abby's hand and ran to them. "Oh! I have to tell my friends that you saw Ga Eul," she cried. "Jun Pyo! Ji Hoo! Woo Bin! Ga Eul was here!"

She caught up to them by the front and nearly bumped into their backs when they suddenly froze. "Yah, I just found out that Ga Eul was at this church and-" she panted from the running. But the shock look on the F3 men's faces forced her to shut her mouth. Her eyes followed their gazes and when it landed on what they were looking at, she gasped and almost stumbled backward.

In front of them on the dirt road was the tow truck they had seen earlier with the smashed car still on its flatbed. A tall man stood beside it and had Sister Marie interlocked in his arm. But to Jan Di, what was even more scary, was the red haired woman blazing a gun at her direction.

"I see the flower boys are here looking for their lost mate," the woman sneered in a fancy Russian accent. Her clothes was muddy, and her face was in sweats with a small bruise by her chin.

Jan Di covered her mouth with one hand, but managed to whisper to Jun Pyo at her left. "Who is she?"

"The woman?" Jun Pyo answered. "Is Sasha."


	19. The Showdown

**Chapter 19: The Showdown**

The scene was like many western cowboy films, where the hero stood gazing into the eyes of his villain. The air was moist from the beaming sun above and a light breeze blew tossing a lone tumbleweed pass their feet; however, nothing can deteriorated the tension between them, not even the nearby spectators.

Like the good hero, the F3 men stood motionless, worried that if they made a sudden movement, Sasha's bad temper may make them regret it. They knew the surrounding crowd were mostly the nervous teens, and losing Sister Marie in front of the teens was something they were not willing to risk.

"Give me your guns right now or Igor will kill the nun," Sasha said, her gun still aiming high at the F3 men.

Igor cheerfully grunted and wiggled the muzzle of his pistol on Sister Marie's now pale cheek. Sister Marie closed her eyelids, leaving it to her God to determine the faith of her life, yet still had one last request and managed to plead in Igor's tough hold. "Please, just don't hurt the children," she whimpered.

Witnessing Sister Marie's position had the teens panicking and almost having a breakdown. A few of them took a step forward, wanting to save Sister Marie, but their nearby peers quickly held them back, in fear of jeopardizing the whole situation. Even Jan Di had to hold Abby back when she felt Abby on the verge of joining in on the fight.

The tense scene had F3 men throwing their hands in the air. They needed to calm the tension or else things may get out of hand sooner than they wanted. "Please, everyone. Relax," Woo Bin holler.

When the teens became quiet and still again, Sasha chuckled, surprised at how fast they obeyed the F3 men. "It seem like you flower boys had learn very well from the past. Don't mess with me or things may get ugly." She smirked and squeezed her gun. "Now, hurry and give me your guns!"

The F3 men glanced at each other and nodded once, then slowly pulled their hidden guns from their belts and dropped it to the ground.

"Kick it over here," Sasha continued to ordered them.

They kicked their guns towards Sasha and it stopped by her feet. "Your other hidden weapons too. I know you bastards have more than these," Sasha exclaimed.

"There aren't any others. That's all we have," Woo Bin objected.

Sasha watched them carefully, then lower herself with her gun still on them. She pocketed the first two guns the F3 men had kicked to her and handed the last two to Igor. "Where's the jerk, Mr. So Yi Jung?" she asked, assuming Yi Jung had reunited with his friends.

"Why would he be with us? Wasn't he with you?" Ji Hoo replied.

Sasha quickly inspected every face in the crowd and when she didn't see Yi Jung, she clenched her jaw. "Where's the two Asian couple I was with yesterday?" she hollered at the crowd. "What about Peter? Does anyone know who Peter is?"

"Sasha?" Yaromir said, taking a few steps forward from the back of the F3 men. When Yaromir realized Sasha and Igor weren't a mirage, he dash to them. "Sasha. Igor. I was getting worried you guys were dead-" but his missing colleagues made him stopped halfway. "Where's the other guys?"

Sasha grinned. "Yaromir, I should had known you were a rascal. You snitched and told the flower boys where we were."

Yaromir nervously swallowed and shook his head. "Sasha, please. I had to tell them or they were going to kill me."

"You should had just let them kill you then," Sasha roared.

"I thought of my wife and daughter, and I can't-Please, forgive me, Sasha," Yaromir pleaded with his hands clasped together.

"When you work for me, you commit only to me, not to your wife and daughter," Sasha snicker. She aimed her gun at Yaromir's head and pulled the trigger.

The booming shot ringed in the air and Yaromir instantly fell to the ground; his lifeless body falling backward and his head flowing with blood. The crowd screamed in shock and horror. Some covered their faces and mouths, while one of the teens fainted and had her worried friends hovering around her.

Jan Di wailed at the sight and hugged a trembling Abby tighter. "Why did that witch had to kill him? He had a family and didn't intend to harm anyone!" she cried.

Jun Pyo agreed with Jan Di, yet wasn't surprised at Sasha's cold heart. He thought of Ga Eul and particularly Yi Jung, and wondered how the two had escaped Sasha and Igor.

"Someone answer me!" Sasha growled, her gun aiming at the F3 men again. "Does anybody know the location of In Katech's pyramid? If you know where it's at, step forward or the nun goes next!"

Most of the nuns, including Sister Cristina, had streamed out of the church after hearing the gunshot. They walked in a prayer stance and begged Sasha and Igor to let Sister Marie go. "Please, do not hurt Sister Marie...or anyone else," the nuns hummed and echoed in English and in Spanish.

It only boiled the frustration inside of Sasha. She hated how no one was listening and giving her any answers. She aimed her gun at the nuns, then back at the F3 men, wishing she can get rid of everyone at the same time. "Igor, at the count of three and if no one replies to me, kill the nun!" she said loud enough for everybody to hear.

"Sasha, enough of this!" Jun Pyo shouted with his hands in a fist. "Leave the nun alone and let us be your prisoners instead! You can have The Pink Sparkle! It's not what we're here for, anyways!"

Sasha almost laughed. "You want me work with you flower boys? You've got to be kidding me."

"We're not joking around, Sasha. You can trust us on this," Woo Bin said.

Still, Sasha wasn't buying any of it. She smirked and started her countdown. "One!" she shouted.

Igor groaned in pleasure and the crowd became more rowdy than before. Some of villagers who had been in hiding, appeared and gathered closer to scene, but when they saw Yaromir in a pool of blood, it reminded them of how true Sasha was with her words. They quickly hesitated and slumped back to where they had came from.

"Two!" Sasha continued.

"Guys! Do something!" Jan Di cried at the F3 men.

Ji Hoo reached for his knife on his back belt. Woo Bin clenched fists and was ready to charge at Sasha. Jun Pyo extended his arm towards his ankle to grab his hidden small gun. But someone from the crowd was a second faster than them. "I know where the pyramid is!" the person yelled.

The F3 men froze in their positions and saw Julio coming into view from his taxi van. Everyone gazed as Julio approached closer to Sasha with his hands up. "I know where the pyramid is," he repeated, wiping some sweat gland off his glowing tan forehead.

"Julio-my man, you don't have to do this," Woo Bin cried.

Julio wave his right hand, signaling to Woo Bin that he wasn't going to listen.

Sasha smiled, satisfied her threat was finally working. "You will take me and Igor to In Katech's pyramid then," she said to Julio. "And if you do not, you will be like this man on the ground."

"But señorita, please let the Sister free first," Julio demanded.

"I will, only after you promise to take us," Sasha retorted.

Julio raised his hands higher in the air. "I will take you there. I promise."

Sasha quickly glanced at his taxi van. "The van is yours?" she asked.

Julio nodded. "Si, señorita. It is mine."

She swayed her head at Igor and Igor shoved Sister Marie to the ground. Sister Marie landed on her hands and knees and whimpered, causing the teens to dreadful moan at her injuries. Igor pointed his gun at the F3 men and was about to pull the trigger, but Sasha quickly spoke in Russian and Igor grunted and relaxed his aim.

"You flower boys better not get in my way," Sasha said, gazing back at the F3 men. "If we meet again, don't expect me to take things this lightly."

She pointed her gun at Julio, motioning with it that they should head to his taxi van. Julio, with his hands still up, swiftly led Igor and Sasha into his van. The van squealed and they drove off, disappearing from the scene so fast, it was as if what had taken place within the last ten minutes had never occurred.

The F3 men strolled to the middle of the dirt road, glaring at the tire marks the van had left behind. Jan Di and Abby raced with the teens and nuns to Sister Marie's side, but Sister Marie insisted she was fine and got up on her feet with a few of the teens help.

"Today, God's good grace was in my hands," Sister Marie said. Her Sisters nodded in agreement and the teens guided Sister Marie to the church.

Abby followed her peers but notice Jan Di stood unmoved behind her. "Miss, we should go in where it's safe," Abby insisted, glancing back.

"I would like to, but I need to go find my friend, Ga Eul," Jan Di answered. She went over to Abby and hugged Abby. "Thanks for letting me know Ga Eul was here."

Abby smiled as they eye contacted. "You're welcome. But umm, you shouldn't chase that lady and man."

"I shouldn't, but I have to. They may lead me to Ga Eul." Jan Di released Abby and took a step back. "Go inside and take care of yourself and your friends."

Abby watched as Jan Di headed towards the F3 men on the dirt road. "Take care, miss," Abby whispered to herself before leaving the scene as well.

The F3 men were in a huddle, quietly talking amongst each other when Jan Di approached them. "What didn't you guys try stop the two Russians?" Jan Di asked with a snort. "And you guys call yourselves a mafia?"

Jun Pyo glared at her. "What did you wanted? A bloodbath in front of this church?"

"We can't risk Sasha killing anyone else, especially innocent people," Woo Bin added, folding his arms on his chest.

Jan Di glanced at Yaromir's body a few feet away and remembered the last few words he had said. She cupped her cheeks and squirmed in disbelief. "Well, we can't stand around and do nothing. The Russian woman is going to Ga Eul now. What if she hurts Ga Eul," Jan Di moaned.

"If Sasha is going to hurt Ga Eul, she would had already done so when they were in Las Vegas," Ji Hoo said with a sigh. "Sasha mention In Katech's pyramid. That may be where Yi Jung and Ga Eul is at."

"But why would they be at the pyramid?" Jan Di asked.

Ji Hoo faced Jan Di. "Perhaps the pyramid has some kind of power or item to get the ring off her?"

Jan Di dropped her hands from her face. "Then we should go there right now. Come on, guys! Let's go! Before we lose track of where the Russian woman is at." She jumped up and down, not wanting to waste another second away from Ga Eul. "Hurry, Jun Pyo!" she cried, grabbing onto Jun Pyo's arm.

But Jun Pyo ignored her and shoved her hands away. He bowed along with Woo Bin and Ji Hoo at an approaching person.

Sister Cristina stopped in front of them and bowed back. "Thank you for being calm and smart in such a disturbing moment. I don't know what could had happen with Sister Marie, the children, or this village if you men weren't present."

"It was nothing," Ji Hoo replied.

Sister Cristina smiled at seeing the cross necklace around their necks. "Your two friends were here last night. But I believe they escaped overnight with a white man they came with. We had some eyewitnesses reporting this and some said they left with Pedro."

"Who's Pedro?" Woo Bin asked with his chin up.

"Pedro is a popular archaeologist in this area," Sister Cristina replied.

Ji Hoo glanced at Jun Pyo and Woo Bin. "This makes better sense. Pedro must had been the one who took Yi Jung and Ga Eul to the pyramid."

"I don't support sinful deeds on harming others," Sister Cristina said. "But I will make this a rare occasion and assist you men on a good map and transportation to the pyramid. The people in this country, especially your two friends, are in great danger and will need your help."

The F3 men bowed at Sister Cristina at the same time. "Thank you, Sister," Ji Hoo said.

Within minutes, a white four doors car drove up. The car was spotless and filled with water bottles and snacks inside. Woo Bin took the driver seat and whistled when he saw the miles on the car. "Yo, this car is new. It's only got sixty-three miles on it," Woo Bin said.

"We just got this car for our church last week," Sister Cristina replied. She handed Ji Hoo, who was at the passenger seat, a written direction on how to get to In Katech's pyramid. "I have never been to this pyramid, but had heard stories of the place. The pyramid is rumored to be cursed, so please be careful."

"We will," Ji Hoo assured her with a small nod. He glanced to the back seat and saw the impatient look on Jan Di's face. Jan Di was more than ready to leave and find her best friend. "Let's go, Woo Bin," Ji Hoo said with a smile.


	20. Pillow Talk

**Chapter 20: Pillow Talk**

Dr. Lawlor yawned and tossed his body to the side, but a sudden jab of pain spiked his side when he came tumbling down from a couch and landed hard on the floor. "Ow," he croaked, massaging his shoulder.

He had forgotten he was on the broken couch in Pedro's house. The good sleep he had throughout the stormy night had him dreaming he was home again with his former mistresses. Kate, Claire, Kelly, and Toni; how he wanted to fall back asleep and dream of them once more. But the chirping of the birds outside had him realizing it must be morning, and that was enough to encourage him to get up.

He lazily got on his feet and ambled towards the bathroom. His eyes were half open as he rubbed his growing facial hair on his chin, wishing he had a razor so he can shave and look fresh again. Still lost in his thoughts and in a drowsy state, he walked right into a walk and slammed face first against it. "Ow, damn you wall!" he cried, now fully awake.

He touched his nose, hoping he didn't injure himself because if he did he would have to come up with some bizarre story and lie about how clumsy he is. It had always been a habit of his to boast about his ego and if a pretty woman was to come along and know the truth about him, then it would be the biggest embarrassment in his life. He smirked when he realized his nose was still fine and his wandering eyes went down to the sheets by his feet.

"Yi Jung?" he groan, assuming he may had step on Yi Jung, but the sheets were too neat and Yi Jung was nowhere to be found. He kicked the sheets to the side and eyeballed his surrounding.

"Damn it. That jerk better not leave with Rose," he mumbled. He rushed to the bedroom where he knew Ga Eul was at and when he shoved the door open, he froze at what he saw.

On the bed was Yi Jung and Ga Eul, deep in sleep and cuddling together. The blanket over them went up to Ga Eul's armpits, exposing her upper bareback as she nestled comfortably on top of Yi Jung. Dr. Lawlor sighed, relieved to learn that Yi Jung had not taken Ga Eul away and The Pink Sparkle was still nearby. Yet seeing Yi Jung and Ga Eul in an intimate position in bed was something he wasn't expecting to witness so soon. He gazed at them for a long moment, then softly chuckled in amusement, and slammed the door shut without a care.

The closing of the door stirred Ga Eul from her sleep. She slowly stretched her arms out to ease her tense muscle, then quickly hid them back under the blanket when the cold open air wisped along her skin. The warmth under the blanket reminded her of where she was and her unfaded smile grew wider at knowing the comfort of being next to Yi Jung.

As she rested her head on Yi Jung's bare chest and listened to his continuous heartbeat, her mind drifted to the first time they met, and she thought of their first eye contact, touch, words, and kiss. Of course their first meeting started on an awkward and irritated manner, but perhaps that is to be expected when two strangers crash into each other. There has been so much she had learned from him overnight; what love is, and how to show and create it. She couldn't imagine herself with anyone else, even the thought of being alone gave her the chills.

She assessed her new feelings that was swelling inside and although it was early to ponder about their relationship, there was this certain word that kept itching in her mind. It was a word that expressed what she felt at the moment. A word deeper than friendship, love, and romance. She narrowed her eyebrows while twisting her mouth to the side as she concentrated hard on what this word may be.

Finally her invisible light bulb came on. Soulmate, she told herself, that's how I feel about Yi Jung. Yi Jung is my soulmate.

She smiled as she gazed up and studied Yi Jung's flawless, sleepy face, and despite the room being dimly lit, she can still see how handsome he was to not be kiss. She leaned towards his face and kissed the side of his mouth, then his cheek, jawline, and down to his neck. If there was one thing she had learn from their yearning affection, it's that once the flame between them started to burn, they had trouble cooling it down. Just like the flame, she had the same difficult and couldn't stop pecking on every inch of his neck.

A sudden light squeeze on her buttock had her giggling. She knew it must be from Yi Jung's playful hands because they were one of the reasons that had kept her awake throughout the night. "Yi Jung," she giggled through her kisses. "Did I wake you?"

Yi Jung groaned with a slight yawn. "Hm, no. But I see you had started on the fun before me."

She glanced at him and saw his charming smirk, so she stuck out the tip of her tongue in a teasing way. "Someone's got to start the fun."

Her adorable gesture had Yi Jung going crazy that he wasn't even listening to what she had to say. He held her tight in his grip as his tongue tried to barge into her mouth, urging her how he wants to taste her again. "Aish, let me have that sweet tongue of yours," he quipped.

But Ga Eul laughed and flinched back, and pretended she didn't know what he was doing. "Yi Jung, stop that," she giggled, pushing his face away.

Yi Jung carried her and forced her bareback flat on the bed. He towered above her and was ready to win their little scuffle. "Ha! I've got you where I want you now," he gloated.

"Yah, no cheating," Ga Eul retorted with a fake pout.

They quietly laughed and wrestled just for the fun of it until after a short lively struggle, Ga Eul finally relented and they kissed.

"Yi Jung," Ga Eul said, after a long and passionate kiss with him.

"What is it?" Yi Jung moaned, not wanting to leave her wet lips.

Ga Eul intertwined her hands on Yi Jung's bareback. "I want us to stay like this forever."

"Me too," Yi Jung agreed, giving her baby kisses on her lips. "Hm, I got a good suggestion we can do together."

"You do?" Ga Eul asked, her voice filled with excitement.

Yi Jung placed his forehead on top of hers and smiled. "We should take a bath together."

Ga Eul giggled, ready for any adventure with him. First it was the bed, next is the bath tub. She was on cloud nine just thinking of new places and ideas. "I know this is kind of early to tell you this, but I," she lower her eyes, nervous but feeling the need to reveal her true feelings. "I-I like you a lot."

The words hit Yi Jung harder than a brick wall. He rarely gets women who would confess after the first night. The last woman who did was a young model from Busan, but he quickly rejected her since he believed she was only after his money. Yet with Ga Eul, it was different. She spoke through her heart with great passion and love. He froze above her with a blank stare and was unsure on how to respond, then a smirk gradually grew on his face as he gazed into her eyes. "I like you too, Miss Ga Eul. But keep in mind that a cool guy like me, isn't always a nice guy."

Ga Eul grinned, as if his words meant nothing. "Throw away the misception that all nice girls wants nice guys."

Yi Jung almost chuckled, thrilled that Ga Eul was open to his playboy lifestyle. Still, he meant what he said. He liked her and wanted to explore this new feeling. But in order to make their relationship work, he knew there were things he still needed to man up to and fix. He reached for her right hand and glared at the glittery ring. "The Pink Sparkle is as beautiful as you," he said, kissing her finger. "But we need to get this ring off of you so you can be safe again and go home."

Ga Eul bit her lower lip without looking at the ring. She hated being reminded of The Pink Sparkle because it meant Sasha, Igor, fear, and the unknown. She wanted to think of home, a place she dearly missed, but how can she when their mission haven't been complete yet.

Yi Jung tossed to her side after noticing the worried look on her. He placed his interlaced hands on his belly and took in a sigh. "I'm sorry, Miss Ga Eul. I'm sorry for putting you through this."

Ga Eul faced towards him and frowned. "Don't apologized. This whole thing was meant to happen. If it wasn't for the ring, I would had never met my appa again, or met my soulmate."

She quickly covered her mouth, shocked that she let the word slip out. She wasn't sure how Yi Jung would feel about it, or if he even consider them as soulmates. Her eyes darted from side to side, everywhere but at Yi Jung. Yet deep inside, she needed to know his reaction. She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes and saw him gazing up at the ceiling as if he was also deep in his own thoughts.

The sound of the front door by the kitchen swung open loudly and Pedro and Dr. Lawlor's voices were heard through the thick walls. Yi Jung turned to Ga Eul and planted a kissed her forehead, then his arm reached down to the floor for his boxer and tank top.

Ga Eul pulled the blanket to her neck and watched him dress under the blanket. "Where are you going?" she asked.

Yi Jung climbed out of the bed and glanced down at her. "I'm going to see what they're talking about. Just stay here where it's warm. I'll be back in a second."

Ga Eul wanted to tell him it was only warm wherever he's at, but he had already left the room and she was alone yet again. She can hear Yi Jung joining in the conversation beyond the door, and it made her worried that Pedro or Dr. Lawlor may barge into her room at any second and see her naked body through the blanket. She scrambled for her clothes which were lost under the blanket, then quickly wore them when she found them.

She stepped out of the bed and saw the floor was cluster with some of Yi Jung's remaining clothes, and being a clean freak person, she hate seeing the mess. She gathered all his clothes off the floor and began folding them neatly on the bed. There were Yi Jung's dress shirt, blazer, a tie, a white shirt, and his pants. She took the blazer and when she shook it to get in untangled, a small picture floated out from the inside pocket and gently settled on the side of the bed.

She picked the picture up and was stunned but happy. The picture was of her when she was a toddler sitting on her father's lap. Her mother had given her the picture as a memento of her father. But unfortunately, she was too young to remember the moment she took it. Regardless of that, she still treasured the picture just like how she treasured her Totoro doll. They were two item that meant a lot to her because whenever she saw them, they gave her hope in life. Hope that two very different people can still come together as one.

But what is Yi Jung doing with my picture? she wondered. The last time she recalled seeing the picture was when she tossed it inside her backpack during the dorm's phony evacuation and she haven't touched it since then. She bit her lower lip and tried to track back of all the interactions she had with Yi Jung. Could it be during the turbulence on the plane? she questioned the incident. No, it can't be. I wasn't holding my bag at the time. Then it dawned on her. It must had been the time when I went to seek Dr. Lawlor in the museum. Yi Jung was watching over my backpack.

She shook her head and almost laughed. There were some disappointment in her that Yi Jung would go through her personal belonging, yet for some reason, she felt the blazer was the safest spot for her picture. She gazed at her picture for a little longer, curious if there's still hope if her relationship with her father will improve. But the bitter thought got her stress, so she placed the picture back at where she found it.

She continued folding Yi Jung's clothes, setting it tiddly on top of each other. The last piece was Yi Jung's pants and when she untangled it, she gasped and almost jumped. A few items had fallen out of from its pocket and landed by her feet. She studied each item as she picked them up. They were his wallet, a gray pocket knife...then her pulse stopped. The next item had her trembling in shock. She had to blinked twice to make sure what she was seeing was real.

It was a flip phone by her feet. A device that anyone can use to connect with another person and perhaps call for help. She tossed Yi Jung's wallet and pocket knife on the bed and wanted to scream from the top of her lungs. How long have Yi Jung been carrying this phone? Why didn't he tell me about it? If he can hide the phone from me, what other things can he be hiding? Her thoughts were scattered all over the place with confusion and rage. Just when she thought she can trust Yi Jung, the trust she had with him was about to get shatter.

She yanked the phone off the floor and flipped it on. The screen light gradually came on the phone. It had a dull gray background and a blinking signal showing half a battery was only remaining. "This can't be Yi Jung's phone?" she muttered, remembering the time when Sasha's men broke his phone into pieces.

With a phone in her hand, she needed to make it useful. Her shaky fingers dialed Jan Di's number and she listened attentively with the phone on her ear, praying that Jan Di will answer her call. But the line went straight to an automatic voice saying Jan Di's phone line was down. "Aww, Jan Di. You've got to be kidding me," she groan in disappointment.

She was in the middle of playing with the phone, trying to figure out who it may belong to, when the bedroom door popped open and she spun around to see who had enter. Yi Jung stood by the wide open door with a crooked glared at her. He gave a quick peek at the living room behind him, then walked in and closed the door.

Ga Eul held the phone away from her face and didn't waste a second shooting out questions at him. "Yah, how long have you been carrying this phone on you? Whose phone is this, anyways? What other stuff are you hiding-"

Yi Jung snatched the phone from her and she shriek in surprise. "I found the phone recently and haven't had a chance to tell you yet," he snapped.

Ga Eul tried grabbing the phone back from him, but he instantly held it high in the air so she can't reach it. "Why didn't you use the phone when you first found it?" Ga Eul cried.

"And call who?" Yi Jung barked. "My hyungs back in South Korea? How can they help us when we're all the way here in Guatemala."

Ga Eul grunted and tried reaching for the phone again, but her height was a disadvantage to his. "It doesn't matter how far we're apart. You should still call them and let them know where we're at."

Yi Jung glanced up at the screen on the phone and notice Ga Eul had used it. "Who did you call?"

"I'll tell you if you answer my questions first," Ga Eul protested. She took Yi Jung's arm and tried pulling it down, but his muscular arm didn't budge.

"I wasn't hiding the phone from you. Didn't you hear me? I recently found it."

Ga Eul gave up and folded her arms on her chest. "Then tell me where you found it?"

"It doesn't matter where I found out. What's more important is that I have the phone now. We can use it for an emergency."

Ga Eul raised one of her hands towards the phone and scoffed. "Hmph, there's only half a battery left on that phone. We should use it now before it's too late."

"No, we need to save the phone for an emergency."

Ga Eul was in disbelief. She couldn't understand why Yi Jung didn't want to use the phone. "Right now is an emergency!"

"We have Pedro and Dr. Lawlor with us. It's not an emergency until we need actual help."

"Yi Jung, we need to-"

The phone suddenly buzzed prompting Ga Eul and Yi Jung to stop arguing. They glared at the screen and a caller ID name popped onto it. Ga Eul stood on her tippy toes and squinted her eyes so she can read the name. "Yi Jung, I can't see what it says. May you please lower the phone?" she begged.

Yi Jung lower the phone, although only halfway and Ga Eul read the name out loud. "Yaromir?" she said, confused. "Well, whoever it is, we should still answer it!"

However, the phone stopped buzzing and the screen went blank.

"Yi Jung! How come you didn't answer it!?" Ga Eul cried. She grabbed the phone from him and clicked on the keypads, but the battery had ran out and the screen remained blank. She groaned and gripped the phone in her fist. "Tell me right now! Who's Yaromir?"

Yi Jung pulled his eyebrows together and studied the floor. "I found the phone inside the church," he replied in a calm tone. He glanced up at Ga Eul for a second, then went to a nearby desk to collect the clothes Rosita had given him the prior night. "I don't know who Yaromir is, but I think it's best if we get moving. Pedro and Dr. Lawlor went to have breakfast at Rosita and we'll be leaving right after they're done."

He turned to face Ga Eul with an uncomfortable look. "Miss Ga Eul, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the phone sooner. After the crazy car chase and me getting hurt," he heaved out a heavy breath and shook his head. "I'm going to go take a quick bath and if you're mad at, I understand."

He stormed out of the room and when he reached inside the bathroom, he closed the door behind him and tossed his back against it. He leaned there for a minute, rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand as he mused over what had just happened in the bedroom. "Aish," he hissed, slamming the back of his head on the door.

There was only one thing that can ease his strained mind and that was soaking himself in some fresh hot water. He fling his clothes on the counter sink and started on the bath he was supposed of had with Ga Eul.


	21. Bad Boys

**Chapter 21: Bad Boys**

The blistering water in the tub burned Yi Jung's skin, yet it was the right temperature to soothe his mind. Staying fresh and clean had always been his quirk, and since he wasn't sure when his next bath will be, he scoured himself with the flowery scented soap and scrubbed every body part until he felt pristine again.

There was a light knock on the bathroom door and although he heard it, he didn't let it bother him. "Who is it?" he called as he continued to wash himself.

"It's me," Ga Eul's soft voice said through the door.

Yi Jung smiled, happy it was Ga Eul and not Dr. Lawlor. "Just a few more minutes. I'm almost done," he holler back.

He dipped his whole head underneath the water for one last good wash and when he reemerged, he was startled to see Ga Eul standing in front of him. "Miss Ga Eul," he gasp, wiping the dripping water off his face with both hands.

Ga Eul nervously gazed at the bath towel and clothes she was hugging on her chest. Since their argument in the bedroom, she had been contemplating on the actions and words she had used towards him. "I just wanted to come tell you that," she said, brushing away a strand of hair by her eye. "I shouldn't had been harsh on you earlier. You were right, you didn't have time to tell me about the phone. We were in that crazy car chase and you got shot at and-"

"It's okay," Yi Jung interrupted. "I would had done the same thing like you if I found out someone had a phone too." He smiled and studied her somber face. A guilt trip from her was something he didn't want to happen, yet it gave him more reason to adore her thoughtful gesture. "So, I take it you're not mad at me?"

A crooked smile cracked on Ga Eul's face, satisfied he was understanding of the situation. "No, I'm not mad at you," she said as her eyes gaze upon him. "But it doesn't mean I trust you."

Yi Jung frown and began to play with the flowery soap. "Well, I guess I'm the opposite because not only do I trust you, but I'm also mad at you."

Ga Eul's head cock back in shock. "Eh, why are you mad at me?"

Yi Jung lower himself deep into the water, as if he needed to hide some kind of secret. "I'm mad that you're not in this tub with me."

Ga Eul almost laugh but put on a huge grin instead. "I only bathe when it's a bubble bath," she insisted. She went to counter sink, causing Yi Jung to sit up again, then pulled out a white bottle from a cabinet and carried it back to the tub.

Yi Jung's spirit was giving himself high fives when Ga Eul poured some liquid from the bottle into the tub. An aroma of lavender vanilla scent wisp in the air as the liquid sizzled and dissolved when it landed in the hot water. A swamp of bubble gradually formed and floated so high that it reached above Yi Jung's bare chest.

Yi Jung smiled from ear to ear while watching Ga Eul undressed herself, but frowned again when she kept her lace panty on. Ga Eul covered her naked breast with both arms as she climbed into the bubbly tub and with the urging of Yi Jung, she sat on his lap. She stretched her legs above his and rested her back on his chest. The touch of her soft skin had Yi Jung's blood boiling. He cuddled her in one arm and insisted to help wash her. Ga Eul grinned and obliged, and enjoyed how he lathered every body part of hers.

The foaming bubble made it difficult for Yi Jung to see below her chest, yet their overnight lovemaking gave him enough experience to know where she enjoy being touched at. He ran the flowery soap along her inner thighs and was surprised when she shoved his hand away for lingering there a bit too long. "What's the matter?" he asked, confused.

"You're such a bad boy," Ga Eul whimpered.

"But I thought you liked bad boys."

Ga Eul did like bad boys. Of course, she won't argue with him on that subject. Still, it didn't mean he can touch her whenever he wanted to. She guided his hand to her shoulder, so she can see where his naughty hand will go next, but he dropped the soap into the water and took her chin instead. He tilted her face towards his, then leaned in to give her a kiss on her lips.

The kiss had Ga Eul falling for his spell. All the doubts of trust and honesty flew out her mind. She was lost in the moment, only yearning for his lips again. She shift her body to face him and threw her arms around his shoulders. Yi Jung hugged her closer, aroused by the perkiness of her beast was on him, and when their lips were inches for that irresistible kiss, a sudden loud pounding on the bathroom door had her pulling herself away from his lips.

"Hey, Yi Jung, where's Rose?" Dr. Lawlor called from behind the door.

Aish, stupid Dr. Lawlor. Bothering me at the worst possible time. If he was in front of me right now, I'll kill him, Yi Jung thought. He made a fist under the water so Ga Eul couldn't see how angry he was. "What the hell do you want?" he barked, glaring at the door.

"Where's Rose?" Dr. Lawlor repeated.

Yi Jung sighed in annoyance. "She's in here with me!"

There was long moment of silence until Dr. Lawlor spoke again. "Pedro and I are ready. So whenever you guys are."

Ga Eul listened to Dr. Lawlor's footsteps and when they disappeared out the front door, she quickly splash some water on her face and climbed out of the tub.

"Where do you think you're going?" Yi Jung asked in frustration.

Ga Eul grabbed a bath towel which were tangled with her clothes. She wrapped the towel around her body and took her clothes with one hand. "Didn't you hear Dr. Lawlor? They're waiting for us outside."

Yi Jung slammed his fist on the water that some of water came spilling out. "They can wait for us. Come on, Miss Ga Eul. Please, just come back in the tub. Let's finish washing up first."

Ga Eul cracked the bathroom door open and after poking her head through it, she glanced back at Yi Jung. "I wish we can, Yi Jung, but I'm sorry. We can't waste anymore time. We need to get to Honduras as soon as possible."

"But Miss Ga Eul," Yi Jung cried as Ga Eul walked out of the bathroom. He shook his head while mumbling some Korean curse words. It was pointless being in the tub if Ga Eul wasn't there, so he forced himself out, then wiped his body dry with a bath towel and wore the clothes Rosita had given him.

His new clothing was a gray suit with a matching gray tie, and despite the pants being a bit on the loose side, it snugged him well enough that he couldn't complain. He went to the bedroom where Ga Eul was at and found her in the tomboy outfit she previously wore. "Miss Ga Eul?" he called to her by the door.

Ga Eul had her hands on her cheeks and upon hearing Yi Jung, she quickly yanked her hands to the pockets of her hoodie sweater.

"Is everything okay?" Yi Jung asked, worried.

Ga Eul pulled one hand out of the pocket and cupped her cheek. "My face feels so dry. I wish I had my facial mask and makeup."

Yi Jung smiled in bewilderment. Sometimes he couldn't understand why women felt the need to cover their faces in tons of beauty products, especially a woman as beautiful as Ga Eul. He went up to her and took her hand off her cheek. "You look more beautiful with your natural look," he said, holding her hand.

Ga Eul's cheeks instantly turned red. Hearing a compliment from her favorite man had her giggling inside. "Stop talking nonsense," she pretended to disagree with him. She reached for his wallet, pocket knife, and flip phone from the bed and handed it to him.

Yi Jung took the phone and wallet, but left the pocket knife with her. "I think you should keep that. It might come in handy," he suggested. He pulled Ga Eul with him and they headed to the front of the door.

When they stepped outside, the hot sun above had them squinting their eyes. It had been days since they've seen the sun, so they welcomed the new ray of sunshine that burned their skins. The village was already blustering with the locals as the people had gotten up early to tear down the wooden planks from the windows of their homes, and the aftermath of the storm had left the place in an disarray, yet it didn't destroy the spirit of the village.

Yi Jung and Ga Eul heard Pedro's jeep roaring in the distance. It emerged from behind Rosita's home and as it approached them, they can still see a huge dent on its side and the many leftover bullet holes from the night they escaped San Marcos church. The jeep stopped and parked in front of them, and the window on the driver side door rolled down.

"Buenos días, Mr. So and his miss!" Pedro cheered from the driver seat. He greeted them by raising the cowboy hat on top of his head. "Ah, you two are cuffed together again?"

Yi Jung and Ga Eul glanced at their intertwined hands, then back at Pedro. "No, we're not cuffed together," they replied at the same time.

The passenger door swung opened and Dr. Lawlor climbed out from it. Similar to Yi Jung, he also had on a new suit, except his suit was as white as the snow. It was so unwrinkled and clean that it had Yi Jung wondering how any man can wear such an outfit and expect it to stay spotless. "You guys ready?" Dr. Lawlor hollered.

Yi Jung and Ga Eul sat in the back of the jeep and the jeep roared again and soon left the small village. They were on a new dirt road, heading to a different direction but still due south towards Honduras. Pedro had rolled down the tops on the jeep, making it an open air vehicle for them to relish in the fresh air and cool mist. The road was muddy yet the big tires on the jeep had no problem gushing right through it. The further they drove, the more thick the wet forest became. They saw a variety of wild species, from colorful birds flying in the sky, a pack of monkeys hanging on some trees, and even a glimpse of a jaguar gazing at them in a distance. It was almost like they driving through a zoo; a short perfect date for Yi Jung and Ga Eul.

After an hour, the forest opened up and cars slowly trickled on the same road. Every car seem to also be heading in the same direction, but soon scattered off when they arrived at lively populated town.

"The bridge to cross to Honduras is just pass this town," Pedro said, pointing ahead. "Only a few more kilometers to go."

It was relieving news for them to be so close to Honduras, particularly after what they've experienced in Las Vegas and Guatemala. Yi Jung cuddled Ga Eul closer and kissed her forehead in celebration, and Dr. Lawlor grinned widely, wishing he can step on the gas pedal so they can go faster. But their excitement was short lived when one of the back tires suddenly deflated.

"Oh! Hell no!" Dr. Lawlor cried, glaring at the back of the jeep. He tossed his hands in the air, confused and upset that Honduras can be so close, yet so far. "The right tire's flat. That's just perfect!"

Pedro decreased the speed of the jeep and it slowly hobble into the town. He stopped the jeep at the first available parking which was in front of a little shabby grocery shop. Pedro climbed out of the jeep with Dr. Lawlor and they inspected the flat tire.

"It's pretty flat," Pedro said, kicking the tire. "We have to change it to the spare tire. It shouldn't take long. At least ten minutes top."

"I'll help you," Yi Jung insisted.

"No. No. Dr. Lawlor and I got this," Pedro replied, waving his hands. "You and your miss should take it easy." He pulled a few cash from his pants pocket and handed them to Yi Jung. "Here, go buy some snack in the store, and I promise, ten minutes and we'll be back on the road again."

Yi Jung shrugged, unsure why Pedro didn't want his help. Still, it meant some good quality time he can spend with Ga Eul, so he was glad in a way that Pedro rejected his offer. He helped Ga Eul out of the jeep and they walked into the grocery shop, hand in hand.

There were many people in the shop and to their surprise, the interior was rather big with lots of shelves filled with food. They went to the fruit and vegetable section because they craved for some healthy food. Ga Eul bagged some red apples and bananas while Yi Jung picked some carrots.

"Oh, you're a fan of carrots too?" Ga Eul asked, watching Yi Jung wisely choose the perfect carrot out of a box.

Yi Jung nodded and held up a clean carrot next to his mouth. "What's up, doc?" he imitated Bugs Bunny's voice.

Ga Eul chuckled so hard, she felt the sudden need to use the toilet. She pursed her lips together so she can contain her laughter and held up the bags of apples and bananas towards Yi Jung. "Here, hold these bags for me so I can go use the restroom. You're too adorable that it's making me need to pee," she grinned.

Yi Jung took the bags from her and sighed. "Okay, I'll try to not joke as much. I wouldn't want you to wet yourself during this very dangerous mission."

Ga Eul chuckled and playfully slapped his arm. "Yi Jung! Stop with the jokes!"

"Aish, just go to the restroom already or you're going to wet yourself right here," Yi Jung teased. He smirked and headed to the cash register before Ga Eul can slap him again. "I'll go pay for our food first. I'll wait for you by the door afterward."

The women's restroom wasn't difficult to find. It was at the corner of the shop through a narrow hallway. The place was empty when Ga Eul enter, but the smell was horrible that she wanted to vomit. There were four stalls and she choose the cleanest one, yet when she tried to flush the toilet, the toilet was broken. At least sink works, she thought while washing her hands.

She left the restroom and made her way to the cash register, but as she past one of the aisle, someone caught her attention. She instantly froze, gasping and covering her mouth. A few feet away from her was the back of a tall white man. He had on a clean gray suit, his blonde hair was messy, and he was carrying a basket of food.

Can it be Igor? Ga Eul wondered. She remembered his dull suit and his tall stature. It was exactly like this man, although this man's military haircut have gotten long. But it couldn't be Igor. He's dead like Yi Jung said, she reminded herself.

The man seem to notice someone was behind him. He slowly turned around to gaze at Ga Eul, but Ga Eul was too afraid to eye contact him, so she shrieked and bolted away as fast as she could. She needed to get to Yi Jung or the nightmare she had of Igor may eventually become a reality. Assuming Igor may be chasing close behind her, she ran and bumped into a few people without apologizing, and her eyes were only focused at the front of the shop.

When the exit door was in clear view, she can see Pedro outside by the jeep, talking with a stranger. She inhale for some fresh air from all the running and wanted to cry out for help. But someone's big hand grabbed her by her arm and yanked her into its chest. She yelped and was about to throw a quick punch at whoever it may be, but the person held her fist before she can attack.

"Rose!" Dr. Lawlor said, holding her close. "We have to go right now."

Ga Eul gazed up at Dr. Lawlor's face. "Igor. Igor's chasing me," she panted.

But Dr. Lawlor ignored what she was saying and dragged her frantic body to the door.

"Hey, Lawlor! Get your freaking hands off her!" Yi Jung was heard shouting from behind them.

Dr. Lawlor stopped and glared back. Before he knew it, his face was met by Yi Jung's furious fist. He got hit so hard that he groaned and almost fell to his side. He touched his nose and released Ga Eul's arm. A small speck of blood appear on his fingers. "No one makes me bleed my own blood," he scowled. He ran towards Yi Jung and swung his fist at Yi Jung, but Yi Jung dodged it in time and hover down to grab his lower body.

The two men smashed against a shelf with candies and the candies scattered everywhere onto the floor. An onlooker boy nearby saw one of the candies by his feet. He quickly took it and raced out of the shop. The people that were surrounding Yi Jung and Dr. Lawlor moved out of the way. They didn't want to get hurt and in truth, seeing this kind of entertainment from foreigners was a rare treat.

Yi Jung and Dr. Lawlor groaned and continued to fight. Punches and kicks were thrown at every angle on their bodies. A knee into Yi Jung's stomach and another smack on Dr. Lawlor's face. They scuffled and broke a different shelf, then fell on the floor and fought there too.

"Stop fighting! Stop fighting!" Ga Eul whimpered and panic. She had forgotten about Igor and wasn't sure why they were fighting. She even tried breaking them apart, but Yi Jung shoved her to the side and told her to stay away.

Pedro entered the shop wide eyed, shock to see the brawl of his two companion. He ran to them and untangled them, pushing and carrying Yi Jung off Dr. Lawlor. "Enough, men. Enough with the fight," Pedro holler.

It was only then did the two men stop. Yi Jung stood up straight and fixed his wrinkled suit while Dr. Lawlor got on his feet with the help of Pedro. "The next time I see you touch her like that again, I'm going to break your nose," Yi Jung promised, his fierce eyes burning right at Dr. Lawlor.

Dr. Lawlor was busy cleaning the dirt off his white suit, but flinched forward in an angry stance at Yi Jung's threat. "You mother-!" he yelled.

But Pedro quickly held him back, not wanting another fight to start. "Men, let's just make peace and get to Honduras. Please," Pedro pleaded.

Dr. Lawlor grunted and went to a freezer next to the door. He pulled out a small ice pack and stormed out of the shop.

Pedro wiped some sweat off his forehead. He went to the manager of the shop and apologized in Spanish for the mess his friends had caused, then he handed the manager some cash. "Mr. So," he said, walking towards Yi Jung. "We have to leave right now. It's urgent. I'll tell you in the jeep."

Yi Jung touched a growing bruise on his chin and gave a short nod at Pedro. Pedro sighed and headed to the jeep where Dr. Lawlor was waiting for them. Yi Jung picked up the bags of fruits and vegetables he bought from the floor and went to Ga Eul. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

For a minute, he thought Ga Eul was going to leave him, not wanting to be with a man who is physically violent. But Ga Eul glanced into his eyes and gave a reassuring smile. "I'm okay," she answered.

It was only then did she remember about Igor. "Igor. I saw Igor," her voice was anxious again. She gazed at everyone who were still around them and spotted the tall white man beside a group of families.

"Right there…," she said and was about to point at the man, but she suddenly realized she had been mistaken. The white man was less muscular and didn't have a scar on his face like Igor. He was just a random Caucasian man, perhaps visiting the town. Ga Eul bit her fingers and glared at the floor. "Ah, nothing. Forget what I said."

She took the bags from Yi Jung and noticed his bruised chin. "It looks like you're going to need an ice pack," she said. She went to the same freezer Dr. Lawlor stole an ice pack from and took one out as well. "Here, put this on your chin so it won't get worse."

They held hands again and walked out of the shop, as if the incident inside never happened. They entered the jeep and sat in their usual seats in the back. No one spoke as they drove out of the town, and it took them only a few minutes to reached the bridge to Honduras.

Pedro stopped the jeep in front of the bridge and glanced back to Yi Jung and Ga Eul. "A friend told me in the town that there was a group of people looking for us."

Yi Jung curiously scooted closer to Pedro in his seat and Ga Eul covered The Pink Sparkle with her other hand. "A group? Do you mean Sasha and her men are alive?" Yi Jung asked.

Pedro shook his head. "No. This group is the Maya people."


	22. The Danger in the Mayan Forest

**AN:** Three things I need to say: 1) Yes! I'm still "alive"! 2) Congrats to actor Leonardo DiCaprio! He finally won for Best Actor at the Oscar Award. Thought I'll give him a shout out since the character, Dr. Lawlor, in my story, reminds Ga Eul of Leo. haha 3) I have to admit, for the last month, I have been having writer's block on how I should write the remaining chapters. Hence, it took me forever to write up this chapter. But it's the longest chapter yet, so I hope you enjoy it! ^_^ Thanks for the patience and still reading on!

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 **Chapter 22: The Danger in the Mayan Forest**

The new bridge to Honduras was sturdy, wide, and made of out cement, and unlike the previous bridge they had trouble crossing, this bridge held its ground. Their jeep roared along and crossed it with ease. They can hear the rapid river crashing below, yet never saw an ounce of it on the surface. They soon entered the grounds of Honduras which should of been worth a celebration, but after hearing the news of a group scouting for them, and the fight at the shop, silence was more of a comfort than the usual conversation.

The first few miles into the Honduras was very green and open. Similar to its neighboring country of Guatemala, Honduras was also enjoying the fresh start of a new day after an atrocious storm. With the sun beaming high and a cool breeze among them, Pedro decided to break the silence. He retold to Yi Jung and Ga Eul what he had learn from the friend in the previous town. There had been words spreading from village to village that Dr. Lawlor was back with his precious Pink Sparkle ring, and when the Mayan community heard of the talks, they wanted to find Dr. Lawlor as soon as possible. Although most Mayans didn't know what Dr. Lawlor looked like, they knew if they find the well known Pedro, it'll lead them to Dr. Lawlor, and that meant the prize of The Pink Sparkle ring.

"I don't know why the Mayan want The Pink Sparkle for," Pedro pondered. "After thousands and thousands of years, they suddenly are in the need of it? Maybe they need it so they can sell it to some drug cartel gang? Or maybe they need it to take it back to the tomb of In Katech?"

Ga Eul was gazing out the window in the back seat, listening to Pedro talk, but when she heard of In Katech's tomb, it got her full attention. "What's wrong with having The Pink Sparkle with In Katech again? Maybe that's where it belong at," she quipped, still promising herself that The Pink Sparkle will be with its rightful owner again.

Pedro and Dr. Lawlor glanced at each other and Pedro grinned. "Miss, when The Pink Sparkle is free, it belongs to whoever that finds it first," Pedro declared.

Ga Eul scoffed. "The Pink Sparkle isn't a game where the finder gets to keep it and the losers weeps."

Dr. Lawlor had remained quiet throughout most the trip, but he snorted at Ga Eul's comment. "We didn't make it a game. It was the charming buddy next to you who made it into a game."

Yi Jung sat up in his seat and smirked. Of course he knew Dr. Lawlor was talking about him. Who else in the jeep can be as charming as him? "This game only started when you took The Pink Sparkle from In Katech," Yi Jung shot back at Dr. Lawlor.

The counter remark got Dr. Lawlor upset. He turned from the passenger seat to face Yi Jung and Ga Eul, and the couple can see that at the side of his right eye, it was swollen red. Dr. Lawlor began climbing out of his seat with his right fist midway up. He wanted to fight and punch Yi Jung's mouth shut, but Pedro saw him in time and shoved him back into his seat again.

"Come on, men. If you two want to fight, fight after we finish our mission," Pedro cried in annoyance. He held up a finger like he was demanding an order. "For now, we focus on getting The Pink Sparkle off the Miss as quickly as possible. If the Mayan group knows she has The Pink Sparkle on her hand, who knows what they will do with her?"

Ga Eul's heart sunk at hearing Pedro's theory. She gazed at The Pink Sparkle on her finger and remembered the time when Sasha almost made Igor cut off her hand. What if the Mayan group wanted to do more harm to her than Sasha? Perhaps she should had let Sasha cut off her hand back in Las Vegas. It may had been painful, but at least she'll get to go home and not worry about being in this scary mission. And if she ever chooses to get a new hand again, then there was always the option of getting a prosthetic one. Maybe she can even make the new hand robotic. It'll come with cool weapons and tools at each finger. Then no one will ever want to bother her again, because she'll be known as the female Terminator. She grunted at the freaky thought and felt like she had hit the lowest point on this mission.

"I think if we want to save some time before the Mayan group finds us, we should have Cadmael go with us. He knows how to read the scriptures better than me and Dr. Lawlor, and he only lives a few kilometers from the pyramid," Pedro suggested.

"Excellent idea," Dr. Lawlor concurred with a nod. "We should definitely ask for Cadmael's help."

Yi Jung almost rolled his eyes. Anything to get The Pink Sparkle back in your hands, he thought of Dr. Lawlor's agreement. He glanced over at Ga Eul, curious on what she thought of the idea. "Do you think we should bring Cadmael with us?" he asked her.

Ga Eul bit her lower lip, then forced a smile. "If it's the quickest way to get The Pink Sparkle off of me, then I'm in," she said.

They drove their way to Cadmael's place, which was the same path to the pyramid. They passed a miniature stonehenge rock, then made a left turn into a cramped dirt road. The landscape quickly changed and the forest became thick and dark, making the territory unfriendly and threatening. There were no wild animals in this part of the wood, except some crying black birds on some the old, bended trees.

"This is odd, Pedro. The place wasn't like this when we were here a few months ago," Dr. Lawlor said, scanning the surrounding.

"I don't like the look of it," Pedro added. "We also have to keep an eye out for the Mayan group. Them folks live nearby."

Yi Jung glanced back through the jeep's window, wondering how far they've gone from the main road when they made the turn. But the main road was long gone. It felt like they had entered the gloomy belly of a huge hungry monster. They soon arrived at a dead end, which was surrounded by large boulders and the same old trees. The jeep jerked and parked in front of a sign that read "El Fin".

"It says, 'The End'," Pedro translated the sign. He glared to the back seat at Yi Jung and Ga Eul. "From here on out, it'll be a hike to Cadmael. The Mayan prefer living deep in the forest, and Cadmael is no different. He actually lives in the most wildest part of the forest."

They climbed out of the jeep, grabbing the necessities. Pedro and Dr. Lawlor came prepared and they each had a backpack. They handed one to Yi Jung and Yi Jung curiously unzipped it. His backpack was filled with a box of bullet, water bottles, ropes, and a flashlight. While the men got ready for the hike, Ga Eul stood gazing at the environment. There wasn't much sunlight in this forest and it caused her to shivered in the chilly, murky air. She hugged herself across her chest to stay warm and noticed a different tire mark on the dirt by her feet.

"Is everything okay?" Yi Jung asked her in the middle of checking the bullets in his gun.

Ga Eul took a step closer to Yi Jung and rubbed her right shoulder. "I was just looking at the tire marks on the ground. It doesn't look like it's from our jeep. Makes me wonder how often people would come to a place like this?"

"In Katech's pyramid has become a popular destination for tourist over the years," Pedro replied by the front of the jeep. "It's not a difficult pyramid to find. It's only difficult to find the right path to In Katech's tomb once you're inside."

Yi Jung placed his gun on the belt of his pants and began tossing some apples he had gotten from the shop into his backpack. "What's so difficult about finding the right path?" he asked.

"The inside of the pyramid is a maze," Dr. Lawlor answered. He had taken off his blazer and rolled up the sleeves on his white dress shirt. "There's over a hundred divergent paths in there, but only one leads to In Katech's tomb. Me and Pedro were lucky. It only took us thirty-three times to find the right path. Hence, The Pink Sparkle." Dr. Lawlor grinned at the last sentence.

"But it'll be easier to find the correct path now, right?" Ga Eul nervously questioned. The Maze Runner myth that her friend Ah Ra mentioned when they were in their dormitory was becoming a reality, and that frighten Ga Eul. "I mean, you and Pedro must know the way to In Katech's tomb. You guys had already been in there and found The Pink Sparkle."

Dr. Lawlor unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt, exposing his upper bare chest. "Most certainly, we shouldn't get lost the second time around," he said with confident.

Yi Jung shoved the door close on the jeep and took a bite on an apple he had started eating. "Don't worry, Miss Ga Eul. Stay close to me and I'll keep you safe," he assured her. "Want an apple?"

Ga Eul didn't have an appetite for any food at the moment, but took an apple when Yi Jung offered her one. She placed the apple in the pocket of her hoodie, hoping the hike will be short so she won't need to eat it later. She took Yi Jung's hand and they followed Pedro and Dr. Lawlor, heading east on a narrow trail into the wood. The trail was worn and had numerous footprints from previous visitors. With no signs or arrows of any directions, Yi Jung wondered if they were heading in the right path. But he was convinced otherwise at the quick pace of Pedro and Dr. Lawlor. The two leading men seem to know where they were going. Yi Jung dragged Ga Eul closely, trying to keep up. They were always a few minutes behind Pedro and Dr. Lawlor.

The forest remained the same most of the way. The only noises they heard were the continuous crying black birds and the dried leaves their feets crushed down on. Once in awhile, they could of sworn they heard some leaves thrusting from afar. But each time they inspected their surrounding, no human or creature were nearby, so they assumed it must had been the wind or echoes of their feets.

There were also some occasional challenges when they had to trek up some steep hills. It made Ga Eul tired and thirsty, but Yi Jung was always there for her at every step of the way. He gave her water when she needed it and encouraged her on, and when they made it to the top of a hill, it was a nice reward for Ga Eul. She got to enjoy the crisp clean air and seeing the magnificent mountain ranges that millions of people can only wish they can see. When they were at the steepest hill and taking in the view, Pedro pointed out to her and Yi Jung, the pyramid of In Katech. Their eyes were wide as they gazed at the top half of the pyramid. Even in a distance, its four sloping triangular sides were huge, and they were in awe at how an ancient structure can still exist in this age.

"I have been to lots of pyramids and ruins in Central America, but In Katech's pyramid has the richest history to it. It was built over thousands of years ago by the Mayan people's own hands," Pedro said, giving them a quick rundown of the pyramid's history. "In Katech may had seem like a charming prince others may envy, but his papa and him had hundreds of Mayans who died just to build them their pyramid. Even the uncles of In Katech's lover were some of those innocent victims."

Ga Eul was surprised to hear that many people had died for the pyramid. She had to remind herself that during those centuries, everything was man made. Yet what shock her the most was how the lover's uncles were apart of the death. "Did In Katech know the death of his girlfriend's uncles?" Ga Eul asked, gazing from the pyramid to Pedro's grim face.

Pedro took off his cowboy hat and fanned his sweaty forehead with it. "No, he didn't know. He was still living the life before him when the pyramid was built. But even if he knew of the uncles, he probably would had done the same thing like his papa. A king will always have slaves." Pedro faced Ga Eul and his left mouth curl up. "You need to understand, Miss, sometimes a charming person can be the most deceiving one."

Yi Jung pulled Ga Eul's hand closer to him that it startled her conversation with Pedro. "We need to get going, or else the Doctor will leave us behind," Yi Jung said, swaying his head at the direction of Dr. Lawlor. Dr. Lawlor had started on the hike again and was almost out of view in the forest.

They continued onward, sliding down the hills and not taking any breaks. The forest soon open up, reminding them it was still daylight. The ground became muddy when they approached a small creek. They made a brief stop there so Yi Jung can fill his water bottle with some fresh water, then they crossed the creek and entered a new part of wood. This wood was not as hilly, but remained quiet and enclosed by the bended trees. More large boulders appeared and they can see the pyramid rising higher the further they walked towards it.

Just when it seem like they were near the pyramid, they made a right turn and the pyramid was behind them. They were on a different trail now and the forest was dark again. This trail was wide and very subdued. The dry leaves were gone and the fresh green grass were unafraid to show itself. After walking a quarter of a mile and to much of Ga Eul's happiness that there were no more hills to ascent, did they finally reached Cadmael's farm.

The farm was on a half acre of a land and gated by wooden short fences. A small cabin was in the middle surrounded by growing crops to its right and a shabby barn on its left. They had no trouble walking over the short fences and was met by a barking brown dog. The dog chased them as they made their way to the front of the cabin. Pedro banged his fist on the door and called for Cadmael to hurry and open it. But the brown dog kept barking at them. He roamed in a circle around them, then ran off to the shabby barn.

"Cadmael, are you in!?" Pedro continued shouting and banging at the door.

"Maybe he's out hunting?" Dr. Lawlor said. "You know how the old man likes the outdoor."

The dog reappear in a much better mood. He paced back and forth, and hopped towards the barn, then back to them. Pedro leaned against the door, studying the dog for a while. Then he stood up straight and marched to the barn. "I think I know where Cadmael is. He's in the barn," Pedro guessed.

They headed to the barn which was twice the size of the cabin. The dog led their way and they entered the structure. The place was filled with chicken coops, pig pens, and a horse. The cries and stench of the animals eroded them greatly that Yi Jung, a man who wasn't used to being in a farm, thought of leaving the moment he stepped inside.

They followed the dog to an old, thin man. The man was busy feeding his horse a handful of fresh grasses from a bucket. He had white dirty hair and his clothes were faded and ragged. It looked as if he hasn't bathed in days and he reminded Ga Eul of some wizard from a fantasy tale.

The man noticed his new visitor approaching him and when his eyes met Pedro, he broadly grinned. "Peedro!" he hollered. He dropped his bucket on the ground and opened his arms wide, requesting Pedro for a hug. "You here for lunch again?"

Pedro smiled and hugged the old man. "Cadmael, my friend. How are you?"

"Good! Good!" Cadmael replied.

"You remember Dr. James Lawlor, yes?" Pedro said.

Cadmael chuckled and went to Dr. Lawlor. His arms were still open looking for more hugs. "Yeah! Yeah! I remember! Smart doctor. Wise doctor," Cadmael cried. He bear hugged Dr. Lawlor like he haven't had human contact in years.

"Hey, Cadmael. Nice to see you doing well after the storm," Dr. Lawlor said with a fake smile.

"Oh! No storm will ever hurt Cadmael," Cadmael laughed as he released Dr. Lawlor. He glanced over at Yi Jung and Ga Eul and his jaw nearly dropped. "Wow! Who this pretty lady, Peedro? Come here. Come here."

Cadmael's chuckles sounded like hiccups and his arms were stretched out much wider than before. He trudged to Ga Eul, licking his lips, but Yi Jung suddenly stepped in front of him, forcing him to hug Yi Jung instead. For an old man, his hug was tight and strong, and Yi Jung almost vomited when a wisp of his stinky body odor drifted past Yi Jung's nostril.

Cadmael quickly let go and took a step back when he realized he wasn't holding Ga Eul. "Ha! You. You a tough man," he laughed and cheerfully slapped Yi Jung's muscular arm.

Yi Jung stood his ground and was glad he was able to shield Ga Eul from such an eccentric man. "I'm So Yi Jung, and the woman behind me, she's with me," Yi Jung said, holding his chin high.

Ga Eul's heart skipped a beat. Hearing that she belonged to Yi Jung had her smiling like a schoolgirl who first learned that her crush liked her as well.

"Cadmael, we need to talk," Pedro chimed in.

Cadmael tried poking his head over Yi Jung's shoulder, hoping to see the pretty Ga Eul, but he found himself nodded at Pedro's remark. "Yes. Talk. We can do that. But inside my house!" Cadmael chuckled, heading out of the barn and waving at them to follow suit. "Come! Come! I share good tequila."

Back to Cadmael's cabin they went, and to Yi Jung's shock, Cadmael's home was actually warm and cozy, and the best part, it didn't stink like Cadmael. They gather and sat on a couch by a brick chimney. A burning log was in the chimney and above the fire were two cooking pieces of meat on a rotating metal stick. Ga Eul squinted her eyes closer at the meat, wondering why they looked so hairy. She can see each meat had some long tails and pointy ears, and when she realized what she was looking at were actually dead rats, she shrieked in disgust and covered her mouth.

Cadmael came out of the kitchen holding a stack of plastic shot cups in one hand and a bottle of tequila in the other. To him it was a party celebration for he rarely gets this many visitors. "Ha. I save this tequila. Never know when pretty girl in my home," he chuckled.

Yi Jung was tired of Cadmael's silly talks, especially when they were related to Ga Eul. "There's no time for drinking. We're only here to talk business. We have to leave very soon," Yi Jung said.

"No, no. Drink first, talk later," Cadmael quipped.

Yi Jung glanced at Pedro and Dr. Lawlor. Both of the men were quiet and seem to want to some tequila shot. They took a shot cup from Cadmael and were grinning when Cadmael popped open the top of the tequila bottle. Yi Jung sighed and rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe their mission may be put on hold just to get drunk.

"Cadmael, my friend here is wearing The Pink Sparkle and we need to get it off her. We're here to take you with us into In Katech's pyramid," Yi Jung bellowed out.

Cadmael froze, halfway to pouring some tequila into Pedro's shot cup. "The Pink Sparkle?" he gasped, glaring at Pedro. "Peedro, the pretty woman. She is wearing...The Pink Sparkle?"

Pedro had his shot cup up, ready to drink, but he lower it and gazed at the floor. "Yes, Cadmael," Pedro sighed. "The Miss has on The Pink Sparkle and Mr. So is right. We're here to ask if you can go with us into In Katech's praymid. We want you to help us find and read the remaining clues and scriptures. We haven't found a method on how to get the ring off her and if the Mayan group finds her-"

"The Mayan group?" Cadmael clasped the tequila bottle next to his chest like he was having a heart attack. His shoulders stiffen up and his cheerful wrinkled face became a frown. He slowly glanced down at Ga Eul's hands and instantly hopped backward. "Cursed! Cursed! In Katech's tomb is a cursed! The Pink Sparkle is evil. It's cursed!" he cried. He frantically stormed into the kitchen leaving his visitors confused on the couch.

Dr. Lawlor stood up and tossed his shot cup on the floor. "Damn it, Pedro. Do you think the old man will want to go with us?"

"What if he doesn't want to go?" Ga Eul whimpered.

"He has to," Yi Jung insisted.

Pedro's eyes pondered around the room before he spoke. "I'll go talk with Cadmael. I'll make him go with us," Pedro proclaimed.

Yi Jung, Ga Eul, and Dr. Lawlor anxiously waited in the living room. They can hear the murmurs of Pedro and Cadmael through the walls. Once in awhile, Cadmael would shout, "Cursed! The Pink Sparkle is cursed! The Mayans want her! Cursed!" Then he would become quiet or hysterically be laughing. It was as if he was diagnosed with multiple personality.

They waited much longer until the cooking rats in the chimney turned black, and when they were beginning to lose hope that Pedro wasn't able to convince Cadmael into going, Pedro suddenly came strolling into the living room, stroking his mustache.

Yi Jung and Ga Eul saw him and quickly got up from the couch. "Well?" Yi Jung snorted.

Pedro sighed. "Cadmael said he will only go on one condition."

"And what's that?" Dr. Lawlor asked.

"If the Miss doesn't go with us," Pedro answered.

The three men glanced over at Ga Eul at the same time, and Ga Eul's eyes danced on each of them as well. "Cadmael doesn't want to be near The Pink Sparkle. He believes the ring is cursed. The Miss can stay here while we go to the pyramid. It's much safer here anyways and shouldn't take us long. We should be back before nightfall," Pedro advised.

"If she's not going, then I'm not going," Yi Jung demanded.

Ga Eul glared at Yi Jung and grabbed his arm. She knew Yi Jung wanted to go on the mission with the others and she'll hate to be the one to stop him. "Yi Jung, are you sure-" she blurted out.

"Of course, I'm sure," Yi Jung snapped. He faced Ga Eul and took her right hand. "You think I'm just going to leave you here alone in this creepy cabin. Aish, don't be crazy, Miss Ga Eul."

Ga Eul smiled, appreciating how manly and protective Yi Jung is for staying with her. She wanted to jump up and hug him tighter than how Cadmael did, but with Dr. Lawlor and Pedro watching on, her shyness overtook her paralyzing body.

"Fine. Then the both of you can stay," Dr. Lawlor interjected, walking towards the front door. "Like Pedro said, we'll be back before nightfall. I expect when we get back, the two of you will still be here, fully clothed."

The 'fully clothed' part had Yi Jung clenching his fist. He took a step forward, ready to charge at Dr. Lawlor, but Ga Eul held his arm, not allowing him to move.

Pedro placed his cowboy hat on top of his head again and followed Dr. Lawlor. "The Mayans tend to not bother Cadmael much, so I don't expect them to be in this area. But if they do come, try to stay quiet and don't leave the farm."

Cadmael entered the living room holding a hiking stick and in a new outfit. His hair was combed to his side, yet remained dirty. He never looked at Ga Eul while walking pass her, but stopped to speak with Yi Jung. "My dog, Prince, goes with me everywhere. But no. Not into In Katech's pyramid. Prince will not get cursed. He will stay here with you. Please, take care of my Prince," he told Yi Jung.

"I'll watch your pup," Yi Jung promised him.

Yi Jung and Ga Eul stood on the porch and watched the three men continued on the journey to In Katech's pyramid. When the men were gone, Yi Jung and Ga Eul headed inside the cabin again. They locked the doors, closed the curtains, blew out the fire in the chimney, then cuddled on the couch like it was their personal home. Although they wished to be alone, they were glad to have the company of Cadmael's dog, Prince, with them. They played with Prince, and Prince seem to enjoy them. He stuck out his drooling tongue, wagged his tail, and ran in circles often to show his new friends how happy he was.

"You're such a beautiful dog," Ga Eul gushed, petting Prince's head.

"He's a pitbull," Yi Jung said, smiling. "I've always wanted a pitbull when I was a kid, but my omma claimed to be allergic dogs. I think she was only saying that because she hated dogs. We had a lot of cats instead."

Ga Eul laughed. "That's funny. My omma was the opposite. She was allergic to cats, so we had lots of dogs."

"Lucky you," Yi Jung muttered.

Ga Eul cheerfully sat up on the couch with her legs crossed in an indian style. "We had a Cocker Spaniel when I was seven, and my omma said I can pick him any name I wanted for him, so guess what I named him?"

Yi Jung leaned back on the couch with his intertwined hands on the top of his head. His eyes drifted to Ga Eul's cute pose and he was surprised to see how keen she was. She had a wide grin which exposed her dimples, and she softly clapped her hands together like she was hoping he knew the answer.

"Hmm," Yi Jung mused. When he saw she was getting impatient for thinking too long, he decided to say the first name that came into his mind. "Spot?" he guessed.

"Spot?!" Ga Eul said in shock. She laughed, covering her mouth, and playful slapping Yi Jung's chest. "No silly Yi Jung. I named him Krueger. He had sharp claws like Freddie Krueger."

"How would I had known he had sharp claws?" Yi Jung snickered with a short shrug. He thought of belittling the unusual dog name, but smirked at a new idea. He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers, then grabbed Ga Eul's waist and tickled her. "Let me be your Freddie Krueger," he boasted.

Ga Eul was a ticklish person. She laughed so hard that she snorted a few times. "Yi Jung. Stop," she cried, trying to defend herself and fight off Yi Jung's hands.

But Yi Jung was having too much fun. He didn't slow down and tickled her belly too. Ga Eul fell on the couch, facing towards him, and he climbed above her, still tickling away. It took them awhile to realize the position they were in, and when they did know, they became quiet and gazed into each other's eyes.

"Aish, Miss Ga Eul. You're so beautiful when you smile and laugh," Yi Jung said in his sexy tone.

Ga Eul nervously smiled, proving to Yi Jung his words were true. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, then down to her upper lip. Each kiss always send thrills throughout Ga Eul's body. She clutched her hands on Yi Jung's shoulders, yearning for more of his sweet lips. Yi Jung shifted his body above her to a better position, then groaned in confusion when he felt a bump by his belly.

"It's the apple you gave me earlier," Ga Eul giggled.

Yi Jung smirked without saying a word. All he wanted at the moment was her precious plump lips. He passionately kissed them like it was his first time, and she embraced him into her arms, her hands gripping on the back of his shirt. Yi Jung's right hand went under her sweater until he felt her soft, warm skin. He wanted more of her and to see her beautiful naked body again, but Ga Eul gently cupped his cheeks, forcing him to slow their kiss.

"Yi Jung," she moaned with a hint of a tease. "Remember, 'fully clothed'."

"I don't give a crap what that jerk says," Yi Jung scoffed. He lifted her sweater higher and kissed her lips again.

Suddenly, Prince started barking at the front door. But Yi Jung and Ga Eul ignored the poor dog. They were too busy enjoying their intimate bond. It was only when Prince growled and wildly scratched the doors that Ga Eul had no choice but to break their kiss.

"Yi Jung, something's wrong with Prince," Ga Eul whimpered.

Yi Jung moaned, still craving for Ga Eul's wet lips and tongue.

Ga Eul shoved Yi Jung further from her face by pushing his chest away. "Yi Jung, maybe he needs the potty."

Yi Jung grunted, annoyed he had to give in and listen to her now, or else she may get angry then he'll definitely get nothing from her later. "Aish. I'll let him out. But you, Miss Beautiful Ga Eul, you stay cute right here," he smirked and pecked her lips.

He got off the couch and went to a distraught Prince, then unlocked and opened the door. As Prince continued to bark, running out of the cabin and towards the barn, Yi Jung notice some chickens and pigs roaming freely from the barn. "Are the animals suppose to be out?" Yi Jung asked Ga Eul.

Ga Eul sat and fixed her sweater straight. "No, I think so. Why?"

"Well, they're wandering around in the front yard."

When Ga Eul met Yi Jung at the front of the door, Prince was heard from the barn, barking aggressively nonstop, while Cadmael's horse frantically cried in fear. "What's going on? How come all the animals are going wild?" Ga Eul asked.

Yi Jung gave out a heavy sigh. "Maybe I should go check the barn; see if Prince and the horse are okay."

"But Yi Jung," Ga Eul cried. She didn't want Yi Jung to leave her alone, worried that something bad may happen to him. However, Yi Jung did gave his words to Cadmael that he'll care for Prince during Cadmael's leave. She bit her lower lip and nodded in agreement that Yi Jung should go and help Prince and the horse.

"Stay inside, lock the door, and don't come out until I come back. Can you do that, Miss Ga Eul?" Yi Jung said with his hands on her shoulders.

"I can do that," Ga Eul almost didn't want to answer.

Yi Jung wrapped his arms around her upper body, then gave her a light squeeze and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry. It's probably nothing. Prince and I will be back in a few minutes," he assured her.

Ga Eul watched Yi Jung stroll to the barn, and when he stopped halfway and waved at her to close the door, did she finally did as she was told. She slowly closed and locked the door, then went to the front window and watched him enter the barn.

Yi Jung, she prayed, please hurry back. It was the first time she had been alone on this mission.


	23. The Dark Maze

**Chapter 23: The Dark Maze**

Ga Eul stood gazing out of the window, her eyes never wavering from the double doors of the barn. It had only been five minutes since Yi Jung had been gone, but to her, it felt like an eternity. She wondered what could be taking Yi Jung so long; it wasn't like the barn was big enough that it should take him forever to find a lost dog. And now with the silence of Cadmael's horse, it only grew her curiosity and made her more anxious. She thought of getting away from the window to relax on the couch, but doing so will mean missing the moment Yi Jung and Prince may walk out of the barn, and that was something she was looking forward to witness.

Another five minutes past and she drifted her focus to the roaming pigs and chickens in the front yard. Most of the pigs had made their way into Cadmael's crops, leaving the chickens behind to to rule the land. Ga Eul watched the chickens as they enjoyed the freedom of not being locked in their metal cages. It got her thinking on what may had helped these animals escape from the barn. Could it be Cadmael's fault for not locking the cages properly? Or was it typical for the animals to be let loose when he's not home?

Her eyes suddenly swayed back to the barn when she noticed something exiting from the double doors. She frantically stood up straight and almost slammed her face into the window. She was hoping to see Yi Jung, but was surprised to see Prince. Prince was limping out alone with his right palm barely touching the ground.

"Oh, Prince," Ga Eul gasped in sorrow, biting her fingernails.

Prince hobbled towards the cabin, only to paused to lick his right palm, then he proceeded on his way again, trekking as fast as he could. When he reached the front door, his injured palm lightly tapped against it. He wept and sat on his bottom, hoping Ga Eul would open or answer him.

Ga Eul knew she wasn't suppose to open the door for anyone except Yi Jung. Yet she couldn't just stay inside and watch poor Prince cry in pain. She unlocked and opened the door to which Prince came hobbling in and went straight into her open arms.

"Oh Prince, are you okay? What happen? Did someone hurt you?" Ga Eul moaned, hugging Prince.

Prince cheerfully licked Ga Eul's cheek as if to say thank you. Then he whimpered when Ga Eul released him and dropped his restless body next to her feet. Ga Eul instantly knew something must be wrong. Not only was Prince very fragile, but Yi Jung wasn't him.

"Where's Yi Jung? Is he still in the barn? Is he hurt too?" Ga Eul's voice cracked.

Prince rested his head on the floor and replied with a dejected moan. The response and body language from Prince was enough to persuade Ga Eul that she needed to think quick. She stood up, still gazing at Prince, then clutched her hands into a fist by her side. Seeing Prince in a weak condition, she have no choice but to go and search for Yi Jung, even if it meant she'll have to break the promise she had with him of not leaving the cabin.

"Prince, I'm going to go find Yi Jung. I need to make sure he's okay," Ga Eul said, realizing she was giving the same advice Yi Jung had given to her earlier.

Prince lifted his head and moaned as he watched Ga Eul exit the door. She stepped outside and gently closed the door behind her, then froze, facing the shabby barn. The barn wasn't far from where she stood. It was just within a minute walk across the yard. She took in a deep sigh, feeling somewhat nervous on what she'll discover inside, then in a robotic motion, she forced her feet forward. Walking in the open yard made her wish for the cool breeze she felt during her hike on the steep hill. She needed some kind of comfort and assurance that she'll find Yi Jung safe. But the breeze she desired was nowhere to be found, leaving her empty and drench in the humid air.

It was quiet when she reached the entrance of the barn, and the eerie silence made her wary to enter. She poked her head in first and saw a trail of fallen and open chicken cages scattered on the ground. "Yi Jung," she whisper, too afraid to raise her voice any higher.

With no response, she sucked in her fear and courageously walked in, following the trail of the fallen cages in hopes that it'll lead her to Yi Jung. At every other step, she continued to call for Yi Jung until she was halfway in and heard some voices coming from the stable of where Cadmael's horse was at. Startled of the sound, she instinctively rushed to her left and hid behind some tall haystacks, worried that the owners of those voices may be some unwanted guests. She listened attentively and was able to make out that the voices were of a male and a female. Is the male Yi Jung? she thought. But who would he be talking to?

There was only way to know for sure and that was to get closer. She crouched down and like a sneaky ninja, she tip toed in the shadow and hopped from haystack to haystack. Closer and closer she got to the stable until the volume of the voices appeared beyond the last stack of hay. She quickly hid on the other side of haystack with her back against the wall, still in a crouching position.

"I guess it's a good thing you survived my assassination. Who would had thought you'll follow through on our plan," Ga Eul heard the female said with a thick accent.

The accent sounded familiar to Ga Eul for she had heard it once before. She thought for a second on whom it may be. It wasn't a Spanish accent, or an American one. Then it hit her like a ton of brick. She gasp, wide eyed, and covered her mouth with both hands. It was a Russian accent! Just like Sasha! But the female can't be Sasha! Sasha was supposed to be dead!

Ga Eul frantically shook her head in disbelief and instantly stood up high on her toes. She peeked above the haystack, trying to get a confirmation if the voice belonged to Sasha. Her eyes landed at the corner of the barn and what she saw next had her almost stumbling backward.

It was Igor at the stable, feeding Cadmael's horse some dried grasses from a bucket. The horse was calm and seem tamed by Igor. But didn't Igor died in the car crash? Ga Eul thought, confused. Her muscles became tense, believing she was seeing a ghost.

Then out of nowhere, literally on the other side of the haystack, the top of a woman's head appeared causing Ga Eul to jerk her head down again. She was afraid the woman may had seen her, but after realizing the woman didn't, she peeked above the haystack once more and can see there were specks of dirt in the woman's blonde hair. The woman was walking from side to side like she was feeling anxious or impatient. Ga Eul did a quick math in her head and concluded that if Igor was here, then the woman must be Sasha.

Sasha. Ga Eul tried to comprehend. Igor and Sasha survived the car crash, but how in God's name did those two monsters know that Yi Jung and I are here? Ga Eul cower lower, her heart racing in a thousand miles. She didn't want to see Sasha. To know of Sasha's existence frightened her.

"You took my pocket knife and phone. Why did you take them?" Sasha asked.

The male started chuckling in a hoarse tone. He was either short or perhaps sitting in front of Sasha because Ga Eul never saw him. "I took your knife and phone because I thought it'll be fun to see you without them," the male retorted. "Don't worry, I haven't use them yet."

Ga Eul's head suddenly jolted up. Yi Jung?! That's Yi Jung's voice! But what is Yi Jung talking about? The pocket knife and cell phone? Does those items belonged to Sasha? And if they do, when and how did Yi Jung get ahold of them? Ga Eul's hands went in the pocket of her sweater and her fingers wrapped around the pocket knife Sasha must be speaking of. It was given to her by Yi Jung when they were at Pedro's place, yet what she couldn't understand was why Yi Jung wouldn't tell her on who he had stolen the knife from. She concentrate on a time when Sasha was around but she wasn't with Yi Jung. The only time she can recall was the night they escaped San Marcos church. They had been separated for a few hours and when they did see each other again, Yi Jung had left his room with his shirt unbuttoned. She clearly remembered being suspicious of him that night, but does this suspicious have some merit?

"I don't like men sneaking off and leaving me alone in the middle of the night," Sasha said.

"I'm sure I'm not the first man to have ever left you at night," Yi Jung replied.

Speak of the devil, Yi Jung and Sasha seem to have read Ga Eul's mind! They answered the very question she was perplexed about. Her body began to trembled, shocked and hurt. She didn't want to think about it, but the idea of Yi Jung sleeping with Sasha crossed her mind. She got so upset at the thought that she clenched her teeth together and made a fist with both hands in front of her face. If only she can use Yi Jung as a punching bag to release her angry, she'll clobber him into pieces right now.

"You left with the Sparkle girl? Why is that? You were suppose to stay with me. You promised me," Sasha said.

Yi Jung softly chuckled. "You know me well enough to not trust me."

"Tell me. Have she fallen for your charming ways?" Sasha snorted after Yi Jung didn't respond. "Mr. So, just because I cuffed you with her doesn't change the fact that we're not together."

Ga Eul couldn't believe what she just heard. She wanted to jump up and confront Yi Jung and Sasha and ask them if they were lovers. Or were they trying to plot a scheme together to kill her and take the ring? Is The Pink Sparkle that special? Do they truly desire money more than virtue? Maybe Ga Eul won't use Yi Jung as a punching bag after all, instead she'll strangle him for being a lying, selfish jerk. She wanted to hurt him so badly. As much as how he's hurting her now, yet she couldn't move a muscle or even shed a tear. She was completely paralyzed. Confused. Frustrated. And distressed. She felt stupid for falling for him. For actually believing his lies and charisma.

How could you, Yi Jung? She asked herself. Did you take me for a fool, or another fun game to entertain your boring life? A thousand question filled her fluster mind that by the time she knew it, she heard Yi Jung and Sasha bickering.

"Leave her to me and everything will turn out like how we planned it," Yi Jung's voice have rose.

"You just told me to not trust you, and now you want me to believe our plan will work," Sasha argued. "I'm sorry to end your adventure with that girl, Mr. So, but the love affair stops tonight. If you're not willing to bring her to me, then Igor will."

"Sasha, you don't have to do this!" Yi Jung cried.

"Igor!" Sasha ignored Yi Jung. "Bring the Pink Sparkle girl to me now!"

"Sasha! Let me handle it!"

"Shut up, Mr. So! You've done enough! Go now, Igor! She's in the house!"

Ga Eul heard Igor's heavy feet stomping her way. She quickly curl into a ball and tossed some loose hay from a haystack to cover her body. Just in the nick of time, she was able to camouflage herself that when Igor came storming past, he didn't even notice her.

"When the others come back from the pyramid, we'll kill the old man and Peter. I'll have Dr. Lawlor give us the answers and direction to In Katech's tomb," Sasha said.

Yi Jung gave out a loud huff. "And if he doesn't agree to do what you tell him?"

"Then I'll kill him," Sasha snapped without taking a breath.

That witch has such a cold heart, Ga Eul realized. There's no way she's going to hurt any of them. Not Dr. Lawlor. Not Pedro. Not even the smelly, Cadmael, and definitely not Prince.

Prince!

Ga Eul almost jumped onto her feet. She have forgotten she left Prince alone in the cabin, and with Igor now heading there, it was likely he'll hurt Prince if he sees the dog. Without hesitation, Ga Eul sneaked towards the exit as quietly as she had came in. There was no point for her to stick around and watch over Yi Jung. He was a different man now who didn't deserve her help, and unlike him, she actually cares about others. She'll do the job of protecting Prince which was something Yi Jung couldn't do.

When she was out of the barn, she bolted to the cabin and nearly tripped over a chicken along the way. She was able to reach the front of the cabin in a flash and shoved the door open. "Prince. Prince. Where are you?" she panted, rushing inside.

But the living room was empty with Prince nowhere in sight. Worried that Igor may have gotten to the cabin first, she took out the pocket knife and pointed the sharp end away from her by her chest. She scanned her surrounding and through the silence of the room, she can hear her own heartbeat and every crack on the floor she stepped on.

The room seem darker and colder than it was before, and although she was scared that Igor may pop out like in her nightmare, it didn't stop her from finding Prince. She was about to head to the kitchen assuming Prince may be hiding there, but the echoes of what sounded like Prince's cries were coming from the hall of Cadmael's bedroom. Glaring behind, around and ahead of her, Ga Eul walked down the hall, still cautious of Igor's whereabouts. Her hands were nervously shaking yet she didn't dare to drop her knife, and when she reached Cadmael's bedroom, she kicked the half open door.

The door creaked wide and the small bedroom was actually bright thanks to the open window curtain. Next to a bed, laid a frightened Prince on the floor. He rose his head with his ears perked up, then he cheerful whine at seeing Ga Eul.

"Oh, thank goodness you're in here," Ga Eul breath a sigh of relief. She placed her knife back in her sweater and went in the room to sit on the ground with Prince. "I was worried Igor had gotten to you already. I'm so happy you're okay."

She embraced Prince, tight in her arms. She needed the comfort after what she had learned in the barn. "Was it Igor who hurt you? Or was it someone else?" she asked. The 'someone else' she was referring to was Yi Jung, but she couldn't bring it upon herself to accuse him in the open. She gazed at the floor, stroking the fur on Prince's back. "Prince, we're not safe right now. Igor is looking for me. We have to go hide so he can't find us."

Her eyebrows narrow as she contemplated on a strategy on how to keep her and Prince safe. She thought of locking the front door and hiding in the bedroom, but she couldn't do that because the cabin will be the first place Igor will look for her. Then it would have to be outside, they'll hide in the field of crops, and if Igor spots them there, they'll run towards the pyramid. Dr. Lawlor and Pedro should be at the pyramid and if they see her and Prince, they won't hesitate to help.

But will they help? Ga Eul couldn't trust anyone. She felt like a lost mouse, trapped in a dark maze with danger at every corner. Yi Jung had always been the one to rescued her when she was in trouble, but now he was with Sasha and cannot be trusted. Her heart dropped with anguish just thinking about him. She wanted to choke out a helpless cry, but her throat was dry. This mission wasn't something she volunteer for. She wasn't tough or relish danger. Maybe someone like Yi Jung would enjoy it, but definitely not someone like her. Still, she knew she couldn't linger on every question and what ifs. She needed to be brave, for herself and for Prince.

"Prince, let's go before Igor gets here," she said, getting up on her feet with determination.

Prince, still limping with an injured right palm, can sense the urgency in her tone and followed her to the bedroom door. When they were out in the hall side by side, Prince froze a step behind her and began to growl.

"What is it?" Ga Eul asked, glancing down at Prince.

Prince continued to growl, glaring ahead of them. Then he vigorously started barking like he saw a ghost.

"Prince, it's okay," Ga Eul said, although she wasn't sure if they were. But Prince ignored her and dashed down the hall, barking.

"Prince, no!" Ga Eul cried after him. She frantically chased Prince to the living room, and when she turned at the corner, her heart stopped and she instantly turned pale.

In the middle of the living room stood Igor, glaring down at a growling Prince by his feet. Igor felt Ga Eul's presence and slowly gazed up at her, smirking.

Ga Eul's worst nightmare was now a reality for Igor was really standing in front of her. He took a step forward and was about to charge at her, but Prince jumped towards him and bit his right arm. Igor grunted and wildly shook his arm, trying to get Prince off of him. But the jaw grip from Prince was strong and tight, and Prince wouldn't let go of Igor and dangled on.

Igor groaned loudly. Prince ruthless growled. Ga Eul cried in panic. And after a short battle, Prince lost his grip. Igor took advantage of it and forcefully swung Prince at a wall. Prince slammed hard against it and fell to the floor with a moan.

"No! Prince!" Ga Eul screamed, her hands cupped on her cheeks. She wanted to rush in and help Prince, but the creepy chuckle from Igor made her thought otherwise.

Igor's bloody ripped arm didn't seem to bother him. He charged towards Ga Eul again and she briskly darted away. She ran out the front door and in the direction of the pyramid. She have never sprinted this fast in her life. It was like running a marathon to beat out on death. She can hear Igor's heavy breathing close behind, his long legs overpowering hers. He was closing in the gap between them and chuckled in joy. Ga Eul swallowed a dry lump and whimpered, and used every muscle in her legs. She had to get away or risk her life in Sasha's hands.

When she reached the wooden fences, she quickly climbed over it, but the climb caused her to slow down, and Igor leaped and grabbed her right wrist. "No! No! Let me go, you monster!" Ga Eul screamed from the top of her lung.

She tried fighting off Igor's large hands, but was losing the battle, so she reached for the pocket knife in her sweater, but accidentally grabbed the apple Yi Jung had given her instead. She turned to Igor, and as hard as she could, she bashed the apple flat into his face.

The apple became a pancake, its juices dripping down on Igor's chins. There were baby chuck of yellow apples and seeds stuck on his cheeks and in his nostril. Ga Eul can feel him loosening his grasp on her arm, and when he started to wipe his face, she shoved herself away from him and raced off again.

She didn't look back as she ran. Her eyes were only focused on the trail ahead. She ran and ran and ran, huffing for fresh air and catching her breath. The muscle in her legs ached. Her heart was pounding like crazy. It took within minutes, and she was near a half mile from the cabin.

The forest was soon quiet and shallow, and her speed began to decline. She finally glanced back and was relieved Igor was nowhere to be found. With a sore and tired body, she needed a short rest. She jogged off the trail to a bush and fell beside it, gasping for air. When she gained some of her energy back and her breathing was normal again, she hugged her legs, rocking back and forth a little.

"I'm so sorry, Prince," she wept, thinking of Prince. "Please, forgive me. Please." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of leaving Prince behind. It wasn't her intention and she felt selfish for doing so. She sat there for a while, lamenting on her guilt. Should I go back for Prince or continue to the pyramid?

A sudden crackle of some dried leaves nearby distracted and frightened her. She sat up, worried that it may be Igor. Feeling petrify to inspect her surrounding, she quietly crawled towards the trail again. But something huge landed on her left ankle, and she screamed at the excruciating pain. It felt like a hammer striking a nail into her ankle. She couldn't move because her body became numb, then she felt two large hands grabbing onto her arms.

Igor was chuckling with excitement for catching Ga Eul again. Now he was going to make sure he wasn't going to let her go anymore. He lifted and hurled her belly onto his shoulder, then headed to the cabin, despite her resistance.

Ga Eul cried and threw fists on his back. "You monster! You're not going to take me to Sasha! Let me go! Let me go or I'll kill you!"

Unfortunately for Igor, Ga Eul spoke in Korean that he didn't have a clue what she saying. He was also a naive man and believed every woman was weak, so he was in for a surprise when Ga Eul shoved the sharp end of her pocket knife into his right eye.

Igor groaned loudly and tried to fight the knife off from Ga Eul. But Ga Eul, acting on instinct, twisted the knife in his eye around and to its side, like she was using a key to turn on the ignition for a car. Blood poured out of Igor's eye. It trickled down his cheek and dripping from his chin. Ga Eul whimpered in horror, but knew she had to kill him, so she pulled the knife out of his eye and jammed it into his throat, twisting and turning again, deeper and harder, until he finally made some guttural noise and dropped her to the ground.

Ga Eul fell on her butt and quickly shuffled backward. She watched Igor with a distorted face as he hopelessly gasp for air. He glared at her, walking in an unstraight line. His hand was on his bloody neck, then he fell to his knees after choking some blood through his mouth. Finally, when Ga Eul was beginning to worry that he will never die, he choked loudly one last time and slowly fell to his side with a thud.

Ga Eul was frozen. Stunned, to be exact. She had just killed Igor. The monster she had feared throughout this mission. She let out a soft shriek and covered her mouth with a trembling hand. "Omo. I can't...," she can only croaked out.

Then in a distance, she heard the noise of some galloping horses. They seem to be streaking towards her direction in a quick pace. Unsure on why or who may be on the horses, she got up to run away, but stumbled, falling to the ground at the very first step. "Ow," she whimpered, holding her ankle.

Her ankle had swell to the size of a golf ball, and it was burning in agony from the injury she received from Igor. Still, she didn't let it stop her and got up again and tried walking. She grimaced at each step she took and walked with a limp as fast as she could. She moaned and used the nearby trees to assist her from falling.

The galloping horses were getting closer and she was only able to get a few yards from Igor's body. No matter how hard she tried, her exhausted body couldn't outrun from the horses. She stopped and leaned against a tree, her ankle throbbing in pain and her eyes in a dazed. She can hear behind her the horses coming to a halt by Igor's body. There was some mumbling of some men on the horses, speaking in an unfamiliar language she have never heard of, then within seconds, they came prodding to her.

Ga Eul tried to get away again, hopping on one leg to the next tree, but the men on the horses caught up to her and circled her from escaping. She blinked to study their figures. There were many of them, over two dozen, or perhaps it was her dizzy eyes playing tricks on her and she was seeing doubles. The men were brown skinned men with long, solemn faces, and one of them stood out to Ga Eul for he was the eldest and wore the brightest color clothes. He had on a long red cotton shirt and wrapped above his head was a vibrant red cloth with some foreign square-like design on it. If she would have to guess, this man may be the leader of the pack. He furiously glared at Ga Eul, his eyes unmoved.

"Miss Ga Eul," Yi Jung's voice startled Ga Eul.

Ga Eul glanced to her far right and behind some of the men was Yi Jung. She was astonished to see him in the group. He was sitting on Cadmael's horse with his arms tied in a rope and his hands strapped behind his back. Next to him on a different horse was Sasha. She was sitting in front of one of the brown men and also strapped in, except it was only her wrist, tied with a thick branch.

Ga Eul bit her lower lip and shook her head. She didn't want to be part of this group, especially if Yi Jung and Sasha was in it. She shoved herself from the tree she had been leaning on, and hobbled away, looking for a path out. But the closest brown man to her got off his horse and chased and grabbed her. She cried as he dragged her to the leader. The leader promptly got down from his horse and snatched Ga Eul's right hand.

The Pink Sparkle glittered into the leader's wide eyes. He held Ga Eul's hand near his face, gazing in amazement like he was mystified in the diamond. Then he shot his head up straight and roared out some words in his language. His men answered back with the same roar, raising one of their fist to the sky. The leader took Ga Eul's waist and lifted her onto his horse. He mounted on his horse too, seating himself behind Ga Eul. Ga Eul glanced down and hover her shoulders inward. She didn't fight back. She was too weak to fight back.

The leader pointed to the sky and roared more phrases in his language. Then he kicked his horse's belly and his horse charged away. The group followed their leader, galloping further, and in the opposite direction of the pyramid.


End file.
